Taking a major step towards stopping leakages in PDS system in the State, the Government launched Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in food grains on pilot basis from Nagri block of Ranchi district on Wednesday. launching the programme, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that this is only beginning of cleaning up process of middle-men from Public Distribution System (PDS), and the Government was committed to do works for the welfare of the poor in the State.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department Minister Saryu Roy said, on the occasion, that the department would form committees comprising of 8-9 local members to make sure that PDS dealers were functioning properly and clean. He also asked beneficiaries to call on toll-free number 1800-212-5512 in case they came up with any issue.
Das said that introduction of modern technology in the process had helped the government identify as many as 11.64 lakhs of forged ration cards, resulting in leakage of food grains reducing by 72,000 tons so far. “DBT in other services has garnered a saving of Rs 225 crores to the government so far in the State. This is just a start. We used to come across complaints of PDS dealers not giving right quantity of food grains to the beneficiaries. I want to warn them that they must amend their practice, as beneficiaries are now free to purchase grain from open market,” said the CM where Ranchi MP Ramtahal Choudhary, Hatia MlA Naveen Jaisawal, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Amit Khare, Food and Civil Supplies department Secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey and other officials were also present.
Notably, the government has transferred benefit for the first month directly in the accounts of beneficiaries in advance at assumed market rate of Rs 31.6/kg for 35 kg which is monthly standard quantity of food grain committed to the beneficiaries secured under Food Security Act of Union government.
“The government is trying its best to provide benefits meant for the poor at their doorsteps. Technology is being introduced and has started even paying. I must assure that every single penny meant for the poor will be delivered to the poor without any leakages. We have also provided 9.31 lakh fresh ration cards to the beneficiaries and process of adding left ones is on,” added the CM.
Notably, this is the 3rd big start from Nagri block within a year after the CM launched Cashless Jharkhand mission on December 2 last year, and inaugurated first Food and Vegetable Processing Plant on March 7 this year. The CM said that the block remained ‘talk of the town’ across the country, as vegetable and fruits grown by labourius local farmers reached out to the plates everywhere in the country.
Meanwhile, the CM also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation and a job to one of the kin of martyred army man Brij Kishore Yadav from Sahibganj, took on past governments saying that they shed only crocodile tears over poverty in State and used the poor as their vote bank.
The CM also unveiled Atal Reeling cum Twisting machine on the occasion designed and made by Central Tassar Research and Training Institute which is expected to garner silk thread weaving women around Rs 400 daily. This is aimed at providing skill development to 4.8 lakh women from 32,000 villages of the State through Sakhi Mandals.