Nagpur: Former civil supplies minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh on Monday said that corn was being compulsorily supplied in place of wheat in 14 districts of the state through ration shops.
“This is nothing but adding insult to injury to the poor as corn is not traditionally consumed as foodgrain in the state and is used as cattle feed,” Deshmukh told reporters here.
“This has happened for the first time in the state. The BJP, after coming to power, curtailed grain supply to a section of the poor above poverty line. Now, corn is being given instead of wheat. Villagers complained that flour mills are refusing to grind the coarse corn and they have no option but to feed it to cattle,” said Deshmukh, demanding an immediate stop to corn supply through PDS.
Civil supplies secretary Mahesh Pathak said coarse grains like jowar, corn procured from any area are distributed in the vicinity. “It has always been done, nothing unusual. Unless they consume, why would farmers grow that?” he asked, admitting that corn procured at Katol was being distributed through PDS in Nagpur district.
Ramesh Mawaskar, deputy commissioner food supply of Amravati division, said corn was being supplied in PDS not in all districts. “May be in some pockets where it is locally procured and that too of good edible quality certified by Food Corporation of India. That too at a low rate of Re1 a kg. Corn is protein rich and commonly used in households in Marathwada and some pockets of Vidarbha,” he added.
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