The Hindu : Front Page : Cases of diversion mar rice scheme

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Friday, Apr 11, 2008
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Cases of diversion mar rice scheme

S. Nagesh Kumar

Civil Supplies Commissioner asks Collectors to crack down on illicit sale

Poonam Malakondaiah

HYDERABAD: Concerned over a spate of instances of diversion of rice from the public distribution system into the black market, Civil Supplies Commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah asked all district Collectors to crack down on illicit sale and transport of rice.

She has also ordered suspension of licences of fair price shop dealers for selling PDS rice at any rate other than what was prescribed by the government and even for abetting free distribution by politicians out to gain mileage from the Rs. 2-a-kilo rice scheme in this election year.

In an ‘urgent’ circular to all Collectors on Thursday, she asked them to seize vehicles illegally transporting PDS rice and book cases under the Essential Commodities Act as well as the Motor Vehicles Act. As for errant fair price shop dealers, she wanted criminal cases also to be booked against them.

Preventing the diversion of PDS rice into the black market has now become a major source of anxiety for the Congress government, a day after it re-launched the scheme with much fanfare. In fact, the launch itself was relatively hassle-free as a PDS scheme is already in place and Rs. 1,980 crore available for it in the budget.

What is now troubling the government is the scope for mischief on account of the huge price difference of nearly Rs. 16 a kg between PDS rice and the one sold in the open market. This makes black-marketing very attractive and worth risk-taking for hoarders but politically embarrassing for the government.

Even before the day was out on Wednesday, Civil Supplies officials thwarted at least two attempts to divert rice -- one in Chandanagar in Ranga Reddy district with the help of Opposition parties’ workers and another in West Godavari. A shop dealer in Raghavapur village of Sirupur mandal in Adilabad district, was found selling rice at Rs. 5 a kg.

Scope for misuse

The cheap price of rice has also given scope for misuse by politicians in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Kurnool districts and elsewhere -- to distribute it free of cost along with their photographs.

Ms. Poonam Malakondaiah did some tough talking in an interview when she said that “if some politicians want to do charity, let them purchase rice from the open market at Rs. 18 a kg and distribute it free to the people. We will not allow anyone to distribute free of cost PDS rice for which the Centre and the State are providing huge subsidy,” she said. The IAS officer, who was specially drafted for implementing the prestigeous programme, said “we will see that every single grain of rice goes to the cardholders with the right quality, in the right quantity and at the right time.”

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