THRISSUR: A handful of ration retailers here have alleged that over 341 tonnes of wheat meant for 54,521 beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) in the district had disappeared from the public distribution system without reaching the beneficiaries. The wheat has a market price of Rs 26.7 lakh. The retailers here have been at loggerheads with the wholesale civil supplies godown owners and department officials after they questioned the alleged diversion of foodgrain from wholesale godowns to private mills.
As per the National Food Security Act, starting from November, instead of 35 kg of rice, the AAY beneficiaries were expecting 28 kg of rice and seven kg of wheat. As per a complaint filed by Neerkazhcha, a group of RTI activists, with the Union civil supplies minister and the state civil supplies director V, Ratheesan, the stock of wheat had been supplied from FCI godowns to the wholesale godowns and from there to the retail ration shops. But only a few beneficiaries have got seven kg of wheat along with rice in November. Wheat was introduced into AAY as per NFSA in Kerala in November.
District supply officer P. Santosh told DC that the time limit for distribution of foodgrain through PDS for November had been extended till December 17 and the beneficiaries would get the grain by then or along with their ration in December. But the whistle blowers among the retail dealers and Neerkazhcha have demanded a Vigilance inquiry by contacting the beneficiaries on their mobile phones which were collected recently as per NSFA to expose the alleged wheat scam.
