Shillong: The Meghalaya government on Wednesday announced that an independent inquiry committee has been constituted to look into the alleged rice scam involving the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
In June, Assam police had claimed to have busted the scam by seizing one lakh bags of rice from a private godown in Kamrup district. Each bag contained 50 kg of rice.
On Wednesday, social welfare minister Kyrmen Shylla said that a notification was already issued on July 29 in this regard by the chief secretary.
The independent inquiry committee will be headed by Justice (Retired) Mool Chand Garg of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The terms of references for the committee will also be to inquire into the quality of fortified Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) food items being supplied to the children, pregnant and lactating women under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme and whether any testing is done and whether it is as per the norms.
The committee will also look into whether the quantity of food reaching the beneficiaries is as per norms.
The final report of the inquiry shall be submitted within a period of three months from the date of issue of the notification.
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Any further interim reports and recommendations can also be submitted to the government of Meghalaya from time to time prior to the finalisation of the report, said the order.
Earlier, chief minister Conrad K Sangma had said that the government is constituting a one-man inquiry committee concerning the allegations of the rice scam.
