Free rice should be given only to BPL families: Madras High Court

CHENNAI : The Madras High Court on Thursday observed that free rice should be given under the public distribution system only to the people below poverty line (BPL).

The bench comprising Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose was originally hearing a petition challenging detention of a person under the Goondas Act for smuggling PDS rice. However, the court made observations on the free rice scheme criticising it being given to people above poverty line. 

“As a result, the people’s mindset itself got changed so as to expect everything free from the government. Consequently, the people have become lazy and we have to import workers from northern states even for menial works (sic),” the court said and directing the Civil Supplies Corporation to file answers to a set of questions on various aspects of the free rice scheme.