The Orissa High Court has issued notices to the State Government and the Central Government over a PIL challenging the illegal preparation of list of beneficiaries under the Odisha Public Distribution System (Control) order of 2016 and in not distributing the essential commodities to the beneficiaries in the list in Dharmasala block of Jajpur district.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq issued the notices on Tuesday asking the State Advocate General and Assistant Solicitor General to take instructions from the State Government and the Central Government, respectively, in the matter and file counter affidavits, if any. The High Court adjourned the matter for hearing again on May 21.
One Sarbeswar Behura of Jajpur district in his petition has pointed out that the quantity of essential commodities and the allowances meant for some poor and needy people have either been misappropriated or unutilised leaving these people to suffer during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.
The petitioner has also mentioned that nearly 45 beneficiaries of Dharmasala block have not been disbursed with allowance of Rs 1,000 granted by the State Government against each ration card. He has also pointed out that some needy people of the area, who are eligible to be included in the list of beneficiaries, are deprived of ration cards.