Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan plea on PDS rice quality in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote to food, consumer affairs and public distribution minister Piyush Goyal seeking his intervention in the matter of alleged supply of sub-standard rice under PDS in the state.
Pradhan said there have been some distressing news reports in the media from Lamataput in Koraput, Sadar block of Balasore and Badabahal of Sundargarh district regarding fear and apprehension among the people about rice supplied under the public distribution system.
"The rice they are getting presently is different from the rice they used to get in PDS shops earlier. They have reported that some of the rice kernels float when soaked in water and appears very white and sticky when cooked. When eaten, they don't have their usual taste and remain intact despite chewing," Pradhan said.
He further said this situation has created fear and apprehension regarding PDS rice and many beneficiaries are worried that it will have an adverse impact on their health.
"I am informed that fortified rice which is a mix of fortified rice kernels and normal rice is being given under PDS since January with added nutrients," Pradhan stated.
Pradhan said, however, the texture and taste of the new rice might have created confusion and apprehension among the beneficiaries. "It is imperative that such apprehensions be investigated and quelled in a proactive manner by the civil supplies department of the state," he wrote and sought Goyal's intervention.