PDS rice distribution delay linked to wheat distribution indecision in Odisha
In Bhubaneswar, the state government faces scrutiny over delays in distributing PDS rice for the October-December quarter amid concerns about mango kernel deaths in Kandhamal district. The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) department prioritized wheat distribution without proper evaluation, halting ration delivery for nearly a month. Issues like software upgrades for point of sale machines further complicated the situation. Minister Krushna Chandra Patra acknowledged the challenges, indicating that wheat distribution would likely resume in the January-March quarter after necessary assessments.
BHUBANESWAR: With the state government in a spot over the mango kernel deaths in Kandhamal district, it has now come to light that distribution of PDS rice for the October-December quarter was delayed for about a month, thanks to the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) department’s overdrive to provide wheat to ration card holders without due diligence.
Absence of proper evaluation of intended beneficiaries and logistics required for transportation of the foodgrain led to multiple instructions to the district civil supplies officers (CSOs) for holding up ration distribution, sources said.
The delay in delivery of free ration by nearly a month was not Kandhamal-specific and hit a much larger population covered under the food security programme. Software upgradation of point of sale (PoS) machines caused the first problem.
“Software upgradation of PoS machines with the newly-supplied digital weighing machines to PDS dealers halted the ration distribution for five days from October 10 to 15. The offline centres where PDS dealers face internet issues had to start rice distribution from October 25 as they received their quota for the current quarter on October 23,” said sources in the FS&CW department.
Earlier, FS&CW minister Krushna Chandra Patra had announced that the state government will distribute wheat along with rice to the card holders from October.
In its August 30 allotment order to the districts, the department instructed the district CSOs to start rice distribution for the October-December quarter from October 1. Then came the revised order on September 28 with instruction for distribution of rice only to card holders who have opted for a mix of rice and wheat. Accordingly, the PDS dealers were instructed to give rice after deducting the quantity of wheat the card holders asked for.
Curiously, the department on November 6 directed districts which have lifted wheat for distribution for the current quarter to hold up wheat supply to PDS dealers. Only rice will be supplied to card holders.
“I received instruction today from the CSO not to deliver wheat at dealers’ points as minister Patra announced that only rice will be distributed for the current quarter. I have already lifted 4,000 quintal of wheat and not sure what will be the fate of the foodgrain. I have no facility for scientific storage of the stock,” rued a PDS contractor not willing to be named.
The minister said the department is in the process of conducting a survey to know the quantity of wheat required for each district. “It will take time for collecting data about the consumer interest on wheat. Besides the tendering process for wheat transportation from FCI godowns to districts is underway. Wheat distribution to the card holders will be possible for the January-March quarter,” Patra told mediapersons on Wednesday.
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