Goa govt orders internal audit of cheap veggies scheme

Panaji, Feb 8 (PTI) The state agriculture ministry todayordered internal audit of Goa Horticulture DevelopmentCorporation�s (GHDC) scheme of providing vegetables at cheaprates.

State Agriculture Minister Vishwajit Rane said that theaudit will be conducted as opposition parties have beenalleging a scam.

"We will conduct monthly audit so that everything is onrecord and transparent," the minister said.

The opposition, during the current state legislativeassembly''s session, has accused the Corporation of buying thevegetables by paying hefty commission to traders in Karnataka,and selling them at subsidised rates.

The corporation gets 120 tonnes of vegetables daily fromBelgaum (which includes 40 tonnes of onion) which aredistributed through 350-odd outlets.

Rane said that the horticulture corporation has beendoing a great service by offering cheap vegetables.

GSHDC chairman Sankulp Amonkar said that the internalaudit is a welcome move as "it will silence all the critics".

GSHDC recently faced some trouble as Karnataka-basedvegetable wholesalers refused to supply it.