Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], April 27 : Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar has levelled serious allegations of corruption against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, claiming a multi-crore scam in the procurement of used gunny bags for the current wheat season.
Jakhar has formally approached the Central Government, seeking a high-level probe into why the state is reportedly paying double the market rate for procurement materials.
In a letter addressed to Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi, Jakhar highlighted a glaring discrepancy in the pricing of old gunny bags used under the Decentralised Procurement Scheme (DCP).
According to the BJP state chief, the AAP government, which often campaigns on a platform of being "fiercely honest", is siphoning public funds through inflated contracts.
The BJP state president said that old gunny bags available in the market for around ₹22 each have allegedly been purchased by the Aam Aadmi Party government at ₹43.89 per bag. He said that allegations of a scam have surfaced in this matter, and therefore, it should be investigated.
In his letter, Sunil Jakhar wrote that under the Decentralised Procurement Scheme (DCP), the Punjab government is using old gunny bags for filling wheat. However, the expenditure on purchasing these old gunny bags raises serious concerns of corruption.
He further stated that old gunny bags are actually available in the market at about ₹22 per bag, whereas the Punjab government is reportedly procuring them at approximately ₹43.89 per bag. This indicates the possibility of large-scale commission-taking and corruption in the entire process.
He added that a thorough investigation should be conducted to get to the root of the matter.
It is noteworthy that in his letter, the BJP president also thanked the central government for granting relaxation in wheat procurement norms in line with the demands of farmers in Punjab.
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