By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: NPP legislator James K Sangma has questioned the State Government for failing to put in place an effective delivery mechanism to streamline the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in the State.
Moving a motion in the Assembly on Tuesday, Sangma said that the Food and Civil Supplies department has failed to provide the BPL and AAY beneficiaries with the requisite amount of rice which has been allotted to them.
“As per the Supreme Court ruling, the BPL beneficiaries are supposed to get not less than 35 kg of rice per month. But I doubt if there is a regular supply of rice to the BPL beneficiaries in the State,” the NPP legislator said.
He further said that if the beneficiaries are not receiving the food grains then it clearly reflects the lack of sincerity on the part of the department.
As per the Supreme Court, he said, the price per kg of rice for the BPL quota should be Rs 6.15, while for the AAY, the price should be Rs 3 per kg.
“I am informed that the AAY and BPL beneficiaries have been asked to pay higher prices for the rice since fair price shops (FPS) are demanding the transportation cost. I would like to know from the Government if the FPS is allowed to charge the transportation cost,” he said adding that despite the loopholes in the PDS the concerned department has not made any attempt to rectify the same.
In reply, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Clement R Marak asserted that the department has initiated several reform measures to ensure that the leakages in the system are plugged.
“Besides setting up of vigilant committees at the grass root community levels, we are also conducting periodic consumer awareness programme for the benefit of the PDS beneficiaries,” Marak said.
“We have also activated the consumer courts and forums including Jan Sunwai on a regular basis,” he added. He informed that periodic inspection is also being conducted in the district and sub-divisional centres to ensure the whole sellers and FPS do not default.
“As far as the pricing of commodities available under the TDPS is concerned, the department makes all products available as per the rate fixed by the Centre. Standard procedure has also been recommended by the Centre to ensure higher prices are not levied to the consumers,” Marak said.