CAG slams Maha govt for procurement of tur daal at high rates

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has castigated the Maharashtra government for procuring tur daal from NCDEX at a higher rate and not availing of subsidised daal allocated by the Centre.

The CAG report, tabled in the state Legislature today, said that purchasing tur daal locally through NCDEX resulted in an avoidable expenditure of Rs 2 crore.

The state also suffered a loss of Rs 1.78 crore on account of unsold stocks rendered unfit for human consumption, it said.

When the Centre was ready to allot tur daal in May 2016 at a subsidised rate of Rs 66 per kg, the state government didn't take it, it said.

The government later took a decision to purchase tur daal from NCDEX at a higher rate and sell it at a rate of Rs 120 per kilogram, the CAG stated.

Thus, it lost an opportunity to control the prices of tur daal in the open market, which was the main objective of the Centre's allocation, the CAG said.

Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, said there was no need to procure tur daal from NCDEX when the Union government had allotted it at a minimal price.

"This is a loss of tax payers' money," the NCP leader said, alleging that there must be a conspiracy behind purchase of tur from private firms.