The BJP Government’s pre-poll bonanza scheme for providing rice at Rs 3 a kilo to more than 34 lakh BPL families in Chhattisgarh is facing trouble on account of large-scale malpractices associated with the public distribution system (PDS).

The Raman Singh Government had to initiate action in several cases, suspend licences of public distribution system shops and has also registered FIRs against several people involved in siphoning off the rice meant for the poor.

Official figures revealed that till the end of January this year, 7,118 fair price shops were inspected by the Public Distribution Department. The inspection revealed large-scale misappropriation of foodgrain meant for the BPL families. The Government had to initiate action against 690 fair price shops. “Licences of 391 fair price shops were suspended while those of 212 shops have been cancelled by the department,” a senior official confirmed.

The Government has also registered FIRs against 97 fair-price shops for indulging in such malpractices. While confirming that widespread irregularities had been detected in the PDS, Secretary (PDP) Alok Shukla said he had issued orders for stricter monitoring of the system. “District collectors have been asked to ensure that the rice meant for the poor reaches them and they have also been told to initiate strict action against people found to be indulging in malpractices,” Shukla added.

The smooth implementation of the scheme is also being seen as a necessity for the BJP Government as it faces Assembly polls later this year. With the Central Government offering a huge relief package for farmers across the country, the state Government is now heavily banking on the subsidised rice scheme to woo 34 lakh families, who constitute nearly 50 per cent of the population.

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