PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi
With the rural people, particularly those from Dunda block, alleging low volume supply of free rice and wheat meant for the eligible beneficiaries, the district supply officer Ashish Kumar stated that if any complaint would come to his notice, it would be investigated and action would be taken against those to be found guilty as per the rules. “The beneficiaries of the free public distribution system (PDS) ration scheme receive grains according to the weight fixed for them. If any stock remains at a shop, it is distributed a second time in the same rural area and in the same proportion,” he added.
This statement assumes significance against the backdrop of villagers and social activists alleging that the grains provided under PDS is not reaching the needy in full, but is instead being tampered with and sold in the open market.
Villagers allege that some private ration dealers are providing rice and wheat less than the quantity meant for them. As per their allegation, beneficiaries are turned away on the pretext of ‘stock has not arrived,’ even though records show full distribution. In some locations, they are required to submit their Aadhaar verification and thumb impressions to the e-PoS machine to receive full rations, but they actually receive less.
Locals allege that grains lifted from the government warehouses are being sold in the open market in collusion with some private ration dealers.
Observers said that if the villagers’ allegations are true, they violate the rights of poor families, making fun of the government’s welfare schemes and raising serious questions about the efficacy of the food security system.
“When systems like e-PoS machines, online stock monitoring, scheduled allocations from warehouses and redistribution are in place, why are complaints of black marketing still surfacing? This question begs an answer. Is the monitoring system weak or is the system being circumvented through collusion at the local levels?” asked an observer.
