The Hindu : New Delhi News : Raids on to nab PDS culprits: Minister

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Thursday, Mar 20, 2008
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Raids on to nab PDS culprits: Minister

Staff Reporter

Permits of 102 fair price shops suspended, 10 terminated and 17 FIRs registered

MLAs allege extensive discrepancy in the system
12,000 quintals of rice seized during diversion

NEW DELHI: The permits of 102 fair price shops have been suspended, 10 terminated and 17 First Information Reports registered during the current financial year against shopkeepers for diversion of rations meant for the Public Distribution System.

Disclosing this in the Delhi Assembly during Question Hour, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf said action had been initiated under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and raids were being conducted to ensure that the rations reach the card holders.

He said that in the recent past 12,000 quintals of rice and about 3,000 quintals of wheat that were being diverted had been seized.

Asked about denial of kerosene to some ration card holders, the Minister said that as a policy the Government had decided that people who have liquid petroleum cooking gas connections would not be provided kerosene.

During the discussion, BJP MLA Subhash Sachdeva charged that in Moti Nagar area widespread discrepancy had taken place in the making of ration cards. He said that of the 3,429 Antodaya Yojana cards that had been made, as many as 3,334 were BPL cards that were issued to families having an annual income of less than Rs.24,200. “A lot of money changed hands as families that own big houses got these cards while many poor jhuggi dwellers were left out,” he said.

At this, Mr. Yusuf assured that he would get the matter probed.

Congress MLAs Meera Bhardwaj and Jile Singh Chauhan complained that many PDS and kerosene shops remained closed for most part of the month. Ms. Bhardwaj even charged that while shops in Mandawali seldom opened, in the account books, the rations that had not been distributed were shown as sold. Some other members demanded that the shops should open more frequently so that the rush on any given day is minimised.

In response to a question by BJP MLA Mange Ram Garg, the Minister informed that for three months supply of pulses, which were being sold at subsidised rates, had stopped as the Government wanted to review how much of the supply was reaching the card holders. From January, the supply had resumed as the scheme had been extended by 12 months, he said.

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