Thiruvananthapuram: PK Krishnadas, a member of the BJP’s national executive committee, has accused the state government of involvement in a corruption scandal worth crores of rupees related to the sale of K-Rice. Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Krishnadas asserted that the distribution of K-Rice was not aimed at aiding the common populace but it seemed to be a platform for corrupt practices.
Krishnadas disputed the government’s assertion that the rice being sold as K-Rice was sourced from Telangana, revealing that it actually originated from a company named Marian Spices based in Kochi. Furthermore, he pointed out that the rice in question was not Telangana Jaya rice but Karnataka Jaya rice, available at a significantly lower price in the market.
Highlighting the financial discrepancies, Krishnadas emphasized that while the government procured the rice at Rs 40.15 per kilogram, its market value stood at Rs 33 per kilogram. He criticized the government’s inefficient procurement process, suggesting that sourcing rice from the Karnataka market would have been more cost-effective.
Krishnadas disclosed that the government purchased 12 lakh kilograms of rice despite requiring 85 lakh kilograms, resulting in a loss of Rs 21.75 crore. Moreover, he accused the procurement contract of violating legal norms, pointing out that the involvement of only two parties instead of the required three hinted at a potential scam orchestrated jointly by the CPM and CPI.
Calling for immediate action, Krishnadas demanded the cancellation of the K-Rice contract and urged for a prompt investigation into the matter to uphold transparency and accountability.
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