TD alleges rice scam in AP, demands CBI probe

Visakhapatnam: The opposition Telugu Desam has sought a CBI inquiry into the 'rice scam' allegedly involving civil supplies minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao and Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy.

The party said that after the sand, land, wine, mines and ganja scams, the YSRC government is involved in another loot.

Speaking to the media in Mangalagiri on Tuesday, TD spokesperson K Pattabhiram said the sudden increase in rice exports through the Kakinada port at a time raised some questions. “This is happening at a time when paddy cultivation in the state is decreasing. The involvement of civil supplies minister Nageswara Rao and MLA Chandrasekhara Reddy is suspected,” he said.

In 2018-19, the production of paddy in the state was 82.3 lakh metric tonnes. This came down to 78.90 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21. Rice exports in 2018-19 were 18 lakh tonnes, 31.51 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 and 48.26 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, he noted.

“How can a significant growth in rice exports be possible when rice production is down compared to the previous years? The reason is illegal diversion of subsidized rice for export through Kakinada port," Pattabhiram said.

“I have all the evidence and will bring these to the attention of the Centre and the CBI,” he said.

Pattabhiram said the state government's explanations and MLA Chandrasekhara Reddy’s previous explanations on the suspicious rice exports do not match the statistical data provided by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.

“The Centre has stated there has been no increase in paddy cultivation in AP in recent years,” he said.

Pattabhiram said the TD will continue its fight till all the facts come to light and the culprits are arrested via an investigation by the CBI.