The oft-repeated allegation made by Opposition Congress party in the State that the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government is diverting the Central Government-sponsored PDS rice from the targeted group only to draw political mileage for the ruling party has now come in the domain of the Odisha High Court.
City-based social worker and civil rights activist Roshan Kumar Mohanty on Tuesday filed a public interest litigation (PIl) in the High Court alleging that the BJD Government is distributing only 25 kg of PDS rice per BPl family in a month whereas the Centre has allotted 35 kg for the beneficiaries.
“By this, the Odisha Government is deceiving more than 27 lakh BPl families in the State which is a violation of Article 14 of Indian Constitution,” the petitioner said, adding that the BJD with malafide intention is distributing the PDS rice to non-targeted groups.
Urging the High Court to direct the Central Government for taking appropriate legal action against the State Government, the petitioner has annexed several Government orders obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to drive home his point. The PIl has, however, not been taken cognizance by the High Court yet.