Govt acknowledges foodgrains smuggling to Nepal, Bangladesh

The government today acknowledged that there have been some incidents of smuggling of foodgrains across the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh borders.

In the wake of this Customs and Security forces have been deployed at the borders.

"There have been some reports and incidents of smuggling of Indian foodgrains across the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh borders," Food minister K V Thomas said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

To prevent smuggling of foodgrains and other items from India to Nepal and Bangladesh, the Customs (Department of Revenue) and security forces are deployed at the borders, he said.

The minister, however, denied diversion of foodgrains meant for Targetted Public Distribution system for the same.

"No instance of foodgrains belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL), Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) or other schemes being diverted to Bangladesh via Nepal has been reported by these agencies," Thomas added.