AAP's Phoolka alleges irregularities in Atta-Dal scheme

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA H S Phoolka today alleged irregularities in the Punjab government-run Atta-Dal distribution scheme, claiming beneficiaries were being given lesser quantity of wheat.
"1.42 crore beneficiaries of the Atta-Dal scheme in the state are being robbed off as they are given less quantity of wheat against the promised amount," the MLA from Dakha constituency alleged.
"People are being offered less than the promised weight of 30 kg per person twice a year," alleged Phoolka, who is also a lawyer.
He claimed that his team caught people red-handed in a warehouse at Mullanpur in Dakha where they taking wheat out of bags and filling them with water to make up for the weight loss in each bag.

Phoolka said he informed the Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana, who along with the DSP and the Tehsildar, conducted raid on the premises and arrested 11 people.
The arrested people have given statement that they were expert in the job and were hired by different food inspectors to execute this job for them, he claimed.

Phoolka said there are 1.42 crore beneficiaries for the subsidised foodgrain distribution scheme.
"If each one gets 3 kg wheat less than promised, then total amount involved in an year becomes about Rs 127 crore," he claimed.
Phoolka demanded that the government should immediately act in a "proactive way" and ascertain the exact loss.

The persons involved in the alleged "scam" should be identified and legal action should be taken against them, Phoolka said.