PDS beneficiaries on Odisha cry foul over substandard rice

JEYPORE: Inaction against complaints of alleged distribution of substandard rice under the government-run Public Distribution System (PDS) in Kotpad area has drawn the ire of beneficiaries. Sources said, people in different wards of Kotpad NAC and villagers of Gumunda and Ghumar received off-coloured rice from their PDS agents, while some found the grains to be very old and unfit for consumption.

With most of the rural population in the State relying on the food security programme to receive subsidised food rations, the discrepancy was brought to the notice of Kotpad civil supplies inspector Purna Chandra Dash who visited some rice distribution centres in the villages concerned for inspection. Finding some allegations to be correct, Dash warned the agents of strict action in future and submitted a report on the same to the district civil supplies officer but no action has been taken yet in the matter.

Beneficiaries alleged that the slipshod approach of the administration against the defaulters is depriving us as no senior level official has visited Kotpad for further inquiry. Sushant Kumar Dash, a beneficiary of Kenduguda under Kotpad block, said, “We have found plastic while cooking the rice that was supplied to us through the PDS agents in our panchayat. How does the government expect us to consume such low quality rice?” Sources said, the rice godowns run by the civil supplies department in the tribal areas are  not kept under strict vigil, facilitating poor quality and adulterated commodities to get into the stocks. 

Asked, Dash said that the allegations about the quality of rice was true and some stock of rice was found to be old but presence of plastic in it is baseless. “We are yet to ascertain the source from where such old stock is being procured for distribution in Kotpad,” added Dash. District civil supplies officer PK Panda said he is aware of the complaints and has directed the civil supplies inspector to submit a fresh report on the matter at the earliest.

PROBLEMS

Residents of Kotpad NAC, Gumunda,Ghumar affected

Complain of receiving, off-coloured, plastic rice

Grains also found very old, unfit for consumption

Kotpad civil supplies inspector probes

Agents warned of action