Officers interdicted as 700,000 kg of paddy go missing from two govt. stores

It has been revealed that around 700,000 kilograms of paddy stocks, worth around Rs. 65 - 70 million, were missing from two government-owned paddy stores in Kurunegala, the Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) said.

Furthermore, he revealed that two officers have been interdicted in connection with the incident.

Last week, Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera had called for an immediate report pertaining to the alleged incident of paddy stocks going missing from 05 government paddy stores in Kurunegala District.

Amaraweera had directed the PMB to furnish the relevant report within 03 days, following multiple complaints made by the employees of the Paddy Marketing Board in this regard. However, they had reportedly informed the minister that officials from the head office of the PMB as well as some officials of the regional offices, were involved in the disappearance of the relevant paddy stocks.

Earlier, the Minister also asserted that a comprehensive inquiry will be carried out into the matter through police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).