#LG must institute high level inquiry into Rs. 100 crore ration scam of #AAP Government

On Jan 13, 2016

LG must institute high level inquiry into Rs. 100 crore ration scam of AAP Government

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, Sh. Vijender Gupta today alleged Rs. 100 crore scam in Public Distribution System since AAP Government’s come to power. He said that the PDS in Delhi has completely collapsed for lack of effective control and management at the apex level. He said that the poor and needy are not being given ration items viz wheat, sugar and rice because the same is being siphoned off in black market.

Mr. Gupta alleged that the entire matter is in the knowledge of the Chief Minister and Food and Civil Supply Minister. Since the scam involves senior functionaries of AAP Government and party, no action is being taken by introducing monitoring , supervision and control. He demanded the Lt. Governor to institute high – level inquiry into the scam. Other BJP MLAs Sh. O.P. Sharma and Sh. Jagdish Pradhan who were also present in the Press Conference demanded effective overhauling of PDS to make it transparent, free from inspector raj and more ration card holder – friendly.

Leader of Opposition charged that despite lapse of twelve days in this month, the Kejriwal Government has released only 20% of the total sugar allocation by the Central Government. He said that the Central Government has released the entire quota of the sugar to the Delhi Government. But more than 52% of the total ration allocation is sold in the black market. At present, there are 2485 ration shops are in Delhi. These shops supply wheat, rice and sugar to ration card-holders. The ration quota to shops is released only when everyone right from inspector to Commissioner and the Minister gets his due share in the system of financial corruption. This amount varies from Rs. 5000/- per month to Rs. 12,000/- per month per shop depending upon the quantity of quota allocated to the shops. Until and unless, palm of senior officials is greased, ration is not released to quota-holder.

Mr. Gupta alleged that about 40% ration-cards are fictitious in Delhi. These cards have been made on the basis of Aadhar Cards of people living in States other than Delhi. But with the connivance of PDS officials, their addresses have been shown to be existing in Delhi on the basis of computer manipulation. The Government claims that has so far brought 72,06,962 persons in the network of National Food Security. It is further claimed that as many as 19, 61,794 families have been distributed ration-cards.

The ration drawn against the aforesaid fictitious ration-card is sold in the black market. The enquiry by senior officials after the persistent complaints has revealed that there are already 6,53,000 fictitious ration cards. This is just a tip of ice-berg. There may be as many as 9 lakhs fictitious ration cards. What is needed to identify bogus ration card is seriousness on the part of the Government.

Under the National Food Security Scheme launched on 1^st September, 2013 the Delhi Government issued three types of cards. This comprised red cards under Antodaya Food Security Scheme, Below Poverty Line (BPL) and priority cards. But since the present Government came to power, the cards were issued without any criteria or verification at the ground level.

BJP MLAs Sh. O.P. Sharma and Sh. Jagdish Pradhan informed that presently out of 2485 ration shops, 5.82% shopkeepers draw 0 – 50 quintal quota, 17.40% shopkeepers lift 50-100 quintal quota, 47.20% lift 100-200 quintal quota, 22.11% lift 200-300 quintal quota, 5.43% lift 300-400% quota and 2.04% draw more than 400 quintal quota.

Mr. Gupta alleged that the shopkeepers are given sugar much below their allocated quota as detailed above. The remaining sugar in balance is sold in black market by the Department. For instance, in January till date the shopkeepers have been issued 2,28,421 quintal of wheat, 59,696 quintal of rice and 16,385 quintal of sugar whereas the entire quota should be released before first of every month. There are orders to keep shops open all the days but the shopkeepers open ration shops for a day or two in the month and put the board saying that the stock of ration is over.

Leader of Opposition said that this situation can improve only when the subsidy is directly transferred to the account of the ration-card holders. He expressed hope that the Central Government will shortly implement this much needed system-improvement.