The Telangana Congress party on Monday alleged that the printing of pattadar passbooks to be issued to farmers smacked of a big scam worth over Rs 85 crore.
According to TPCC president Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy, the government had entrusted the job of printing passbooks to preferred private printers at a rate of Rs 160 per passbook, though the state-run security printing press had come forward to do it for just Rs 50.
“When we questioned the same in the assembly, KCR said the passbooks would be of waterproof quality and they were tamper proof. But the passbooks now being issued to farmers are neither water proof nor tamper proof. Moreover, he said there would be 26 features in the passbook, but they have been reduced to 18 features,” he said.
Uttam alleged that even the printers who had absolutely no experience and were blacklisted in other states, were given the contract for printing passbooks.
“The government security printing press at Mint Compound, which has four printing units has been ignored.
The general manager of the government press wrote a letter to the state government that the printing of passbooks by the private presses was faulty and that the state press would not take any responsibility if there was any goof-up in the work.
He also said the government security press was withdrawing from bidding,” he said.
Even in the distribution of passbooks, the government had totally bungled.
“First, the chief minister said the passbooks would be distributed from January 26. Later, he said he would invite President of India or Prime Minister for the distribution on March 11. But now, they say it would be done on May 10,” the PCC chief criticised.
