KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, Dec 26: The central government might have extended the bonanza of almost free food grains supply to over 80 crores of poor people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the country, but the government machinery entrusted to carry out the mega job have to tighten their belts for flawless distribution of the foodgrains.
Of the provisions of the foodgrains under NASA, a considerable amount is finding its way to the flour mills through numerous Public Distribution System (PDS) shop-operators, the channel through which the beneficiaries are supposed to get the ration.
Due to the manipulation of e-POS machines at the PDS shops coupled with the tendency to make quick money, scores of beneficiaries are not getting food grains regularly as the food provisions are being siphoned off to the flour mill owners.
The swindling act on the part of the PDS shop operators came to the fore after over 25 beneficiaries of Adityapur Gumti Bustee in Adityapur on Monday shot a joined petition to Seraikela-Kharsawan district deputy commissioner complaining about not getting wheat and rice supply since the past three months.
The petitioners have complained of not getting the foodgrains supply from the PDS shops on regular basis. They have also complained of less quantity of wheat and rice being given to them by the PDS shop operators whenever supplies are made in two or three months intervals.
“We are aware that the PDS shop operators at Gumti Bustee are lifting the stocks of wheat and rice at a subsidised rate. But whenever we approach the PDS shop operators, we are being told that the foodgrains stocks are yet to come. Some of the PDS shop operators even make the beneficiaries take the thumbprint on the e-POS machine in advance, assuring that the foodgrains will be given when it comes, ” said Ashish Gope, one of the beneficiaries while talking to lagatar24.com.
According to Gope, some middlemen are active in the field and are making arrangements to siphon off the food grains under the NFSA to the flour mill owners.
Under the present NFSA, each member of a beneficiary family is supposed to be provided with five kgs wheat and rice at the rate of Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg respectively per month.
Seraikela-Kharsawan Deputy commissioner Ananya Mittal said it is a cause of concern if the beneficiaries are not getting the foodgrains to supply regularly.
“It is a serious matter. I will instruct the Marketing Officers to get the complaints enquired into and to ensure the proper distribution of wheat and rice to the beneficiaries. If any PDS shop operator is found indulging in malpractice, then the shop operator will be taken care of, ” the DC said.
Meanwhile, Om Prakash, president, non-governmental organisation, Jan Kalyan Morcha said the food supply department entrusted with the job of providing foodgrains under NFSA must ensure that the beneficiaries may get an acknowledgement once get through the e-POS machine so that PDS shop-operators may not get a chance to manipulate.
“Moreover, as each beneficiary is supposed to get five kgs of foodgrains, the provisions should be made in packets accordingly not distributed loosely,” observed Om Prakash.
It may be mentioned here that the central government has announced to extend the food grains supply free of cost to the people living below the poverty line till December 2023.
