SHILLONG, OCT 3: Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday asked NE states including Meghalaya to implement the end-to-end computerization of the Public Distribution System (PDS) to check leakages.
“I had personally written to all the chief ministers to implement the end-to-end computerization of the PDS and they must ensure that there are no complaints,” Paswan told reporters after chairing the Hindi Salahakar Samity meeting in the city today.
The union minister’s direction also came following complaints from the beneficiaries either on less quantity or poor quality of food grains supplied to them.
He said end to end will ensure tracking of food grains till it reaches to the fair price shops. So far, 18 states have implemented the end-to-end computerization of PDS.
The union minister also asked the chief ministers to ensure Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) facilities are in place for both urban and rural areas.
“It is up to the state governments to request as we have no problem,” Paswan said while informing that only three states including Puducherry and Chandigarh have implemented the DBT which is being sent direct to the beneficiary’s account.
On the complaints of failure to distribute the rice for past few months, the union minister said that the state governments should also ensure that such complaints are addressed as it falls under its purview.
“If there is any delay and we don’t send grains on time then we are responsible as we are providing grains monthly. However, when the states are lifting 100 percent every month then why don’t the beneficiaries get that 100 percent every month,” he questioned.
He suggested that the beneficiaries should file a case also as per the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The union minister also informed that the government is also setting up one more storage depot of 5000 metric tons storage capacity at Thangsalai in Mawdiangdiang area of which the process for land acquisition is on.
He added a similar depot of 2500 MT storage capacity is under construction at Baghmara in South Garo Hills District.
The present storage capacity is 22,850 MT.
Stating that the monthly allocation for Meghalaya is 12, 281 metric tons of rice and 2386 MT of wheat for 21.46 lakh beneficiaries, Paswan said that apart from this, the government is also giving mid-day meals at 6000 MT of rice, Defence – 3060 MT and Welfare Institutes – 708 MT.
He informed that 34 states including Meghalaya have so far implemented the NFSA with 100 percent digitisation. He also revealed only two states are yet to implement the NFSA – Kerela and Tamil Nadu- as elections are due in these states but they have assured that it will be implement it by December this year.-By Our Reporter
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