Fishy business detected during audit at the govt undertaking
Detailed report sought from store in charge by HPMC management
Dharamshala | TNR
An apple a day keeps the doctor away has been taken seriously by someone or some people. Why else would 18.5 tonnes of apple juice concentrate be missing from a store of Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Limited (HPMC) in Parwanoo ?
On a serious note, the missing apple juice concentrate is worth Rs 60 lakh.
HPMC seeks detailed report
HPMC management has sought a detailed report from Parmanu store in charge in a bid to get to the bottom of why there is such a huge shortfall in the stock of apple concentrate.
Shortfall detected during physical verification
Physical verification carried out by three deputy general managers brought to light this shortfall in the stock of apple juice concentrate at the Parmanu store. HPMC has a processing plant in Parmanu where lakhs of litres of apple juice concentrate is prepared every year.
As per practice, an audit was carried out after March 31 for the apple juice concentrate during which the shortfall was detected.
As per the audit report, which was handed over to HPMC management in June 1210 tonnes of apple concentrate was prepared out of which 18.5 tonnes was found missing and the remaining was used to make apple vinegar.
Too early to jump to any conclusion: HPMC MD
HPMC managing director Rajeshwar Goyal said that a shortfall in the stock has been found. It could be a clerical mistake, he said adding that during the audit some entries may not have been recorded.
A detailed report has been sought in the matter and in case the report indicates any wrongdoing then strict action would be taken against those responsible for the carelessness, he said adding that to call it a scam even before the detailed report is studied would be premature.
Concentrate made from apples purchased under MIS
Every year state government announces a market intervention scheme (MIS) to purchase sub-standard quality apples from orchard owners. Apples that could not be sold are purchased by HPMC through State Cooperative Marketing and Consumer Federation of Himachal Pradesh, popularly known as Himfed.
Nearly 400 centres are set up to purchase these apples and later they are used to prepare apple juice concentrate at the HPMC processing plant.
