Steel silos of 9.50L MT storage to be built in Haryana

Haryana Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Karan Dev Kamboj on Thursday said that steel silos of 9.50 lakh MT capacity would be built for the safe storage of foodgrains in the State.

“For this, tender process has been started. Approval has been given for the construction of steel silos in Ambala, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Rohtak, Jagadhri, Hansi, Uchana, Kurukshetra and Karnal,” the Minister said while talking to the mediapersons here.

So far, the Food and Civil Supplies Department and other procurement agencies of the state have 84.39 lakh MT storage capacity. Kamboj claimed that due to various steps of the department, there is zero wastage of foodgrains from 2016 onwards. In the year 2013-14, out of the total foodgrains procured by the Government, 9549 MT was spoiled, which was reduced to 36 MT in the year 2015-16 and later it was brought to zero, he said adding that disciplinary action has been taken against employees or officials who were responsible for spoilage of foodgrains.

On the issue of defaulters rice millers, the Minister said that FIR had been registered against 94 defaulter rice millers from the year 2013 to 2017.

Besides taking action on rice millers for not delivering the custom milled rice (CMR), actions are also being taken against the concerned inspector and sub-inspector, assistant food and supplies officer, he said.

Delivery of 1,736 tonnes of rice of Kharif crops of rice millers were pending to Food Corporation of India in 2016-17. The State Government has a launched special campaign for recovery from rice millers, resultantly, in the

last two years about 99 per cent CMR has been recovered, the Minister said.

Kamboj also said that the State Government has recovered about Rs 11 crore for pending CMR of 2013-14 and 2015-16, from two rice millers. Besides this, directions were issued to attach property of three other rice millers of Kurukshetra by Deputy Commissioner to the tune of about Rs 25 crore.

Cashless facility pilot project to begin in Pkl

The Minister said that cashless facility would be started as a pilot project in district Panchkula for depot holders and Public Distribution System (PDS) consumers. Thereafter, the scheme would be implemented across the state. For this, current bank accounts of all depot holders are being opened in PNB banks, he added. With a view to ensure providing timely ration to consumers in the state, they have been linked with Aadhaar which has resulted in ousting of 25 lakh fake beneficiaries that has saved Rs 400 crore annually to the State exchequer, Kamboj said.

He further said that no ration cards were printed in the state after 2005.  The present Government has got 80 lakh ration cards printed in four colours namely khaki, yellow, green and pink, he added.

Brick kilns have to adopt zig-zag technique by Oct

“With a view to make the state pollution-free, all the brick kilns would have to adopt zig-zag technique. No Brick Kiln owner would be allowed to use old techniques in brick kilns after October 1,” the Minister said. At present, there are 2741 brick kilns in the state, which adds to air and noise pollution, he said. The Minister said that for the health of the people and to make the state pollution free, the government had formulated a policy for brick kilns in 2017 and every brick would have to follow this policy. So far, 75 per cent of the brick kiln owners have adopted the zig-zag technique.

Action to be taken against vendors for duping consumers

Kamboj said that if any vendor is found weighing sweets alongwith the box, strict action would be initiated against him.

During festival season, some vendors sell sweets by weighing them alongwith the box. If any complaint in this regard is received, action would be initiated against the vendor. The vendors can charge for boxes separately, but they cannot weight sweets or items alongwith box, he said. Under ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ scheme, some vendors were challaned during recent years and Rs 12 lakh was imposed as fine, he added.