Srinagar, Oct 26, KDC: The Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) on Sunday refuted reports of alleged large-scale misappropriation of foodgrains in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, describing the claims as “baseless and misleading.”
Reacting to a news item published in a Local Daily on October 26 titled “Massive misappropriation of food grains unearthed in Kupwara; show-cause notices issued, major transfers follow,” the Office of the Assistant Director, FCS&CA Kupwara, issued a detailed rebuttal clarifying the factual position.
“This office has taken note of the news item published in a Local Daily on 26th October 2025, which refers to alleged large-scale misappropriation of food grains in District Kupwara,” the statement reads a s per Kashmir Dot Com.
“In this connection, it is clarified that the report referred to in the said news item pertained to a preliminary internal assessment of data discrepancies noticed during routine reconciliation of allocation and receipt records under the Supply Chain Management (SCM) system. The said exercise was part of a regular verification process to strengthen transparency and accountability in stock management,” it said.
“Subsequent scrutiny and reconciliation of records at the Directorate level revealed that the differences were primarily procedural and clerical in nature, and that no misappropriation of foodgrains was found out in District Kupwara,” the statement added.
“The contents of the news item, therefore, do not reflect the present factual position and appear to have been based on incomplete information. The department maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward irregularities and remains fully committed to transparent functioning and uninterrupted supply of ration to all designated beneficiaries, including those in snowbound and border areas,” it further said.
The Assistant Director, FCS&CA Kupwara, also addressed a formal communication to the Director, FCS&CA Srinagar, providing clarification on the matter.
“With regard to the subject cited above, it is clarified that the report referred to in the said news item pertained to a preliminary assessment undertaken earlier this year by the then Assistant Director, FCS&CA Kupwara, to identify discrepancies between allocation and receipt figures during routine reconciliation under the Supply Chain Management (SCM) system, and the preliminary report was submitted to the Directorate by the then Assistant Director,” the letter stated.
“Upon receipt of that report, the Directorate ordered a formal inquiry at the Directorate level. The inquiry has since been concluded, and the officials named in the media report were not found guilty of misappropriation as alleged. Consequently, they were reinstated after being exonerated,” it added.
“In light of the above, it is humbly requested that the circulating news may kindly be treated as baseless in the present context. This clarification is being submitted for placing on record and to avoid any misinterpretation of departmental integrity under the current tenure,” the communication concluded. (KDC)
