Congress seeks SC monitored SIT probe into Chhattisgarh PDS scam

The Congress on Saturday demanded a SIT probe monitored by the Supreme Court into the PDS scam in Chhattisgarh and sought the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Raman Singh over the issue.

"We demand that the only way to trace the truth in the biggest PDS corruption scam is an SIT monitored by the Supreme Court. In order for a fair investigation to be held, Raman Singh must be sacked immediately as chief minister," Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said.

"India's biggest PDS corruption scam stands unearthed in Chhattisgarh. In the garb of providing rice at Re.1 per kg under the much touted PDS scheme, the BJP government in Chhattisgarh led by Raman Singh created a well oiled corruption machine in connivance with rice mill owners, PDS shop owners and public officials to earn thousands of crores as kickbacks and commission," he said.

The Congress leader said there was similar corruption in the procurement of other commodities like salt, gram, kerosene and wheat through the state civil supplies corporation.

He said the magnitude of the scam can be judged from the fact that during the last 11 years of BJP rule in Chhattisgarh, the amount spent from the public exchequer on the procurement of paddy as also procurement and supply of various PDS items through the state civil supplies corporation comes to Rs.1,50,000 crore approximately.

"While this cozy nexus helped the millers and ration shop owners to earn illegal profit by supplying inferior quality of rice, salt and other commodities, it helped politicians led by the chief minister and his ministers and bureaucrats involved to make crores in ill-gotten wealth," Maken added.