HCMC – The Ministry of Finance on May 7 announced the results of an inspection into the purchase of rice for the national reserve in 2020 for the General Department of State Reserves and 22 reserve departments.
According to the announcement, 28 rice traders won bids to provide 178,000 tons of rice for the country’s rice reserve. However, only two traders signed contracts and provided their full quota of 5,900 tons, while two other traders signed contracts but partially fulfilled their contracts for 1,800 tons.
The remaining 24 traders refused to sign contracts after they had won the bidding. Under the Bidding Law, they have to pay VND27.9 billion in bid deposits to the State budget.
The Ministry of Finance also announced that seven of the 22 reserve departments have allowed individuals and organizations to incorrectly store rice in the national rice reserve warehouses. They include Ha Bac, Dong Bac, Bac Thai, Hanoi, Ha Nam Ninh, Binh Tri Thien and Thanh Hoa reserve departments.
Based on the inspection, the ministry has suspended the leaders of these reserve departments pending further investigation and sanctions.
The ministry also asked the General Department of State Reserves and the 22 reserve departments to review their management processes and procedures, improve management efficiency, install cameras at all of their warehouses for better control and safety and modernize their governance system.
