Thiruvananthapuram: The failure of the state government in implementing the National Food Security Act is said to be the reason for the pilferage of grains from the Public Distribution System (PDS).
The Act has provision to do away with wholesale dealers in PDS and it provides for the transportation of grains directly from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns to the ration retail dealers.
All India Ration Dealers Association general secretary Babychen Mukkadan told Deccan Chronicle that the Act has provision to monitor the movement of grains from the FCI godowns to the retail dealers through GPS. This would have put an end to black marketing and diversion of ration materials to hoarders.
Moreover, there is a provision to record the movement of vehicles out of the FCI godowns. All vehicles transporting grains meant for PDS should affix a sticker indicating the destination, Mr Mukkadan said.
The failure of the government to implement the project has been aiding the mafia which is engaged in diverting rice from the PDS to the open market.
In fact, some places in Neyyattinkara taluk has become hubs for such illegal activities. However, due to the flaws in the enforcement system, the civil supplies department finds it difficult to curb the diversion of the grains.
The vigilance wing of the department had confiscated 750 quintals of ration articles in a raid on an illegal godown in Balaramapuram on Thursday.
