Vijayawada: Food panel chief warns against sale of PDS rice
AP Food Commission chairman Ch Vijay Pratap Reddy serving food to students during his visit to Vuyyur village of Krishna district on Thursday
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Food Commission chairman Ch Vijay Pratap Reddy said buying or selling of rice distributed under public distribution system (PDS) is an offence and the government would take stern action against the persons involved in such acts.
He said the government is supplying quality rice to the schools for midday meals programme and called upon the people to consume the rice being supplied through the ration shops. He appealed to the people to give information to the government through the WhatsApp No 9490551117 on illegal sale or purchase of PDS rice.
Food Commission chairman along with the member Jakkampudi Krishna Kiran inspected the schools, anganwadi centres and PDS rice supply points in Krishna district on Thursday.
He visited the ZP High School in Vuyyur of Krishna district and checked the quality of the rice and midday meals.
He along with the children consumed the food and enquired about the food being cooked and served in the school. He later visited the PDS rice distribution point and verified the stock records and other details.
Vijay Pratap Reddy said he visits schools, anganwadi centres and hostels and check the quality of food being served during the midday meals programme. He said some students were not taking food in the schools because the rice cooked for the midday meals supplied from the public distribution system.
He said the government is spending Rs 38 on a kg for the fortified rice and appealed to the people to consume the rice supplied by the government. Nowhere in India the government is supplying the fortified rice, he said, adding the government is supplying nutritious food to the lactating mothers and the pregnant women.
He visited ZP high school and mandal parishad school in Penamaluru mandal and checked the midday meals. He also visited angawadi centres, ration depots and ration delivery vehicles in Poranki.
DEO Tahera Sultana, ICDS project director S Suvarna, social welfare deputy director Saraswati, backward classes welfare department deputy director Lakshmi Durga and other officials accompanied the Food Commission chairman.