Massive irregularities in PDS distribution have come to the fore in Balangir district due to a section of corrupt officials and also lack of involvement of local public representatives irrespective of party lines with masses in the area.
Senior Congress leader and former Kantabanji MlA Santosh Singh Saluja on Sunday alleged that thousands of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Antodaya and Annpurna scheme of seven drought-hit gram panchayats under Turekela block have not even received their quota rice and wheat for months thanks to the insincerity of the MlAs, Ministers and MPs.
He alleged that around 2,875 NFSA beneficiaries of Jharni GP have not received their quota rice and wheat for the months of April, May, June and July.
To avoid public wrath, officials only distributed food grains for the month of September in advance in August to the beneficiaries keeping in view the festival Nuakhai in western Odisha, said Saluja.
The Congress veteran further alleged that while beneficiaries of Antadoya and Annpurma schemes in Jharni and Nuapada GPs have not received their quota for April and July (2015), beneficiaries of Routmunda have not received their quota for June and July (2015), Ramul and Tentolkhoi for the month of July, 2015.
“Many eminent leaders cutting across party lines are representing Balangir district. But nobody cares for the people of the drought-hit district. How can poor people survive without Government-sponsored food security schemesIJ” Saluja wanted to know.
He also alleged that there is large-scale diversion of PDS food grains, black marketing by dealers; a strong nexus between them and officials of the department; improper record-keeping; false entries in registers and, above all, political influence and interference hampering public distribution.
He targeted the local administration and the State Government alleging that preparation of ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) is in a total shambles in the KBK region as many recipients under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana are found to be excluded from the list of beneficiaries.
He said many beneficiaries have also not received food grains under the NFSA on the pretext of Suspect lists 3 and 4 of the Act.
Saluja also questioned the mysterious silence of the local representatives in the just-concluded Monsoon Session of the Assembly on such a sensitive issue.