Baripada: The Public Distribution System (PDS) is found to have been messed up in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The PDS retailers have alleged that while they are getting the items too late in the month, but the bags they are receiving contain less amounts of materials.
As per the guidelines of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), which procures, maintains and issues the PDS items in the state, the level 1 transporters should transfer the PDS items from the state level to the district head quarter level and then the level 2 transporters should transfer it to the GP level. But in actual practice, many level 1 transporters are allegedly transferring the items directly to the GP level so that the items can be manipulated during transit. As the Civil Supplies Department has not its own means, private transporters are engaged in this process.
The retailers have further alleged that this manipulation takes place at the behest of some corrupt officials in the Civil Supplies Department itself. Interestingly, the fact has been revealed partially by the Civil Supply Officer of the District.
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It has also been alleged that the retailers are provided with the items too late in the month sometimes. In the last 8 months, they have received the items towards the end of the month at least in three occasions.
Again, the bags containing the PDS items such as rice, wheat, sugar etc. actually contain around 5 to 8 kg less amount of the grain, in a bag of 1 quintal or 50 kg, but the retailers are forced to receive the same as a full bag.
It has been complained that some corrupt storage agents are responsible for this wide irregularity that has messed up the distribution system in the Mayurbhanj district.