The Public Distribution System was rigged from day one whenthis scheme was introduced by the Central government to mitigate the sufferingof the millions of poor in the country.
Some corrupt officials have systematically siphoned offgrains and other goods meant to be distributed to the suffering public.
Recently a “Common Man’s” organization raided a governmentgodown at Kasba and unearthed a scam, where officials along with owners ofration shops, undervalued goods meant to be sent to ration shops.
Consequently the ration card holders received less amount ofration.
The modus operandi is simple.
All grains meant for PDS are transported from the railwaygodown to government’s Kasba godown. At Kasba all sacks of wheat and rice haveto be properly weighed and packed.
It is then shifted to the ration shop owners at variousplaces.
The scam takes place at Kasba godown where every sack whichis supposed to weigh 50 kg was found weighing 1 to 2 kg less.
Even ration shop owners did not complain, as they were partof the scam.
The Common Man organization recently along with thecollector raided the godown and exposed the scam. They brought to light how thepeople in the godown were involved in the scam worth couple of crore.
Baba Indulkar, president of Common Man organization who waspresent during the raid demanded a thorough investigation in the matter andthreatened to protest if the culprits were not brought to book.
He said that all officers from top to bottom from the civilsupply department are hand in gloves.
“The grains that are meant for the poor should reach to thepoor people of the country. It is shameless that such officers are shelteringthose involved in the scam,” Indulkar said.
Ration cards holders in Maharashtra Kolhapur get rice, wheatetc on subsidized rates.
APL (above poverty line) and BPL (below poverty line) cardholders get wheat, rice, sugar and oil on concessional rates.
There are 1.35 lakh APL card holders and 14,000 BPL cardholders in the Kolhapur city.
APL card holders get 10kg wheat, 5kg rice, kg oil and 1 kgpigeon peas and as per sugar quota BPL card holders also get sugar onconcession rate.
