Poor deprived of PDS

BE IT East or West, the public distribution system (PDS) in the State is in a shambles. In the villages of Sant Kabir Nagar district, people living below poverty line are yet to receive ration cards. On the other hand, in the rural area of Mathura district, no grain was distributed from PDS outlets.

BE IT East or West, the public distribution system (PDS) in the State is in a shambles. In the villages of Sant Kabir Nagar district, people living below poverty line are yet to receive ration cards. On the other hand, in the rural area of Mathura district, no grain was distributed from PDS outlets.

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The irregularities in the PDS system were detected by Food Commissioner Devesh Chaturvedi during a surprise inspection in the eastern and some western district of the State.

To get first-hand knowledge of the working of the PDS system, Chaturvedi visited Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar districts. When district supply officers and block development officers came to know about the visit of the Food Commissioner, they immediately dispatched ration cards to the office of the Panchayat Secretary for distribution among villagers.

At Panchbas village in Basti district, the villagers informed Chaturvedi that though the price of the ration card was Re 1 but the gram pradhan has charged Rs 5 for each ration card. Even owners of PDS outlets were charging a higher rate for the grain to be distributed under the Antyoday Yojana. When Chaturvedi reached Mathura district, the natives of Nagal Chandrabhan informed that neither a ration card was given to them nor grain was being distributed from the PDS outlets. On the other hand, residents of Mahuwan village told him that those living below poverty line are yet to receive ration cards, while rich people were getting regular ration from the PDS outlets.