Dinakar calls for reforms to check PDS rice diversion

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh 20 points programme implementation committee chairman Lanka Dinakar stressed the need to introduce reforms to prevent diversion of PDS (public distribution system) rice for exports and real beneficiaries should consume the rice, which is distributed by the Central and state governments. He alleged that there was a large scale of looting in the PDS and rice was exported illegally to other coun-tries from the state.

Addressing the media at the Secretariat on Monday, Dinakar said the total number of ration cards in An-dhra Pradesh are 1,48,43,671 and the total number of beneficiaries are 4,31,81,370. The state and Central governments spent Rs 79,200 crore for distribution of rice to the poor in five years from 2019 to 2024, as per the answer to an RTI query.

He said the state government spent Rs 30,000 crore from 2019 to 2024 and the Central government had spent Rs 49,200 crore.

He said additional loans taken by Civil Supplies Corporation from 2019-24 amount to Rs 20,931 crore.

The BJP leader underlined the need to stop the activities of the plunderers and suggested that reforms should be brought in public distribution system of rice in the state and deserving poor should get rice.

He recalled that late NT Rama Rao, founder of TDP launched the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme for the poor but it was grossly misused in YSRCP rule. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PDS scheme un-der Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

Dinakar said he met civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar and discussed ways to check diversion of PDS rice.

He said the SIT appointed to probe irregularities committed in implementation of the PDS scheme and exports to other countries would unearth the names of the persons involved in the rice scam.