Lockdown: Bengal to seek written statements from ration dealers over receipt of adequate foodgrains
The initiative will start from Purulia district, wheresuch written undertakings will be sought from 1,000 rationdealers, they said.
State Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriyo Mullicksaid the initiative will be gradually expanded throughout thestate to ensure smooth functioning of the PDS.
"We have planned this initiative to ensure that thedealers are receiving good quality foodgrains and other itemsin adequate quantities. As of now, it will start from Puruliaand will be gradually expanded to Bankura and Birbhum and thento the entire state," Mullick told .
The minister had recently held an emergency meetingwith Purulia district officials regarding immediateprocurement of paddy for keeping the stocks ready fordistribution.
"After the ration dealers have given writtenstatements, any excuse of not getting an adequate quantity ofgood quality foodgrains will not hold water. We will ensurethat people get ration as per their allotment," he said.
The state government requires around five lakh tonnesof rice every month to serve the huge number of beneficiariesin the state around nine crores, department officials said.
Since the lockdown was imposed, around six lakh peoplein the state are also being served five kg of rice per headevery month under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana,they said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also announced freefoodgrains and ration to 7.5 crore people in the state tillSeptember.
She said an additional two kg of rice is also beingdelivered to the residences of the students under theIntegrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the middaymeal scheme.
Several incidents of clashes outside PDS outletsacross the state were reported in April, with local residentsalleging improper distribution of ration materials.
The state BJP has also alleged anomalies in the PDSand claimed that a section of the poor is not receivingfoodgrains and is starving.
They have demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter andthe party's Alipurduars MP John Barla has also written toPrime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had on Monday written to thechief minister, expressing concerns over the PDS in the state.
"The situation of PDS in the state has reachedalarming levels of concerns," he had said. SCHACD ACD