Major Irregularities in PDS Wheat Distribution Uncovered in Assam's Margherita Subdivision

DIGBOI: At a time when zero tolerance to corruption and cent percent transparency have become a slogan of the BJP government in Assam, huge irregularities in PDS wheat allotments, lifting and distribution to consumers have surfaced in Margherita Sub Division in Tinsukia district.

According to official records there are 474 Fair Price Shops (FPS) and 7 Gaon Panchayat Samabai Samities (GPSS) across the sub division.

Based on reports on the scarcity of PDS chakki and milled wheat in several FPS in the subdivision, the reporters conducted a comprehensive survey and found that the beneficiaries did not receive the same chiefly on two grounds; poor quality and non availability at FPSs.

Demands for PDS flour in tea garden areas were also found to be less. While a section of beneficiaries do not take the commodity of their own. Poor quality milled wheat were also returned to millers earlier which provides scopes for anomalies. The investigation also revealed that the societies have been receiving the commodity from the millers but remains to be effectively distributed among the FPS.

Few chairpersons of the GPSS when contacted lamented that the millers distribute the demanded flour for the specific month in several instalments creating artificial shortage in distribution.

The beneficiaries and few shareholders of the society also suspected that a huge and powerful networks of black marketeers are trading in nexus with influential individuals across the district.

“This is a multi crore scam which was raised earlier too but couldn’t progress well due to media manipulation by traders and contractors,” alleged an agent of Margherita FPS on condition of anonymity.

“I have received flour only twice last year and once this year,” lamented an FPS agent in Jagun areas. “Who then lifts our commodities, where does this go then?, he asked.

“GPSS are the epicentre of all anomalies and irregularities who work in liason with the millers, traders and contractors and help selling the commodity in open market at higher price,” alleged an agent deprived of flour to his beneficiaries for a long period.

Meanwhile, the officials of the Food and Civil Supply informed that the three mills including two Chakki Mills -Sri Prabhat Food Product (MCM),  Sri Durga and Prabhat Flour Mill have been licensed to procure wheat on government subsidy, mill the commodity and supply the flour to societies.

According to records available with the supply department, Sri Prabhat Food Product Industry was allocated 255 metric tonnes of wheat for the month of June , 190 Metric tonnes for July, 190 Metric tonnes for August and 231 metric tonnes for the month of Sept 2024.

Similarly, 950 quintals of wheat including September 2024 was allocated to Sri Durga.

The data revealed that there was a stable supply of wheat by the government but ironically the distribution is not fair and equitable. The beneficiaries at the grassroot level are deprived of the benefits already sanctioned by the government.

“Matter being so serious and continuing for decades involving scams in crores must be allowed to probe by CID,” said one of the former office bearers of a Samabai Samity of the subdivision.

One of the Sub Inspector of the food and civil Supply department when inquired about the authentication of the submitted utilisation certificates (UCs) said that due to time constraints the UCs submitted thereof by various agencies are yet to be verified. “Few UCs when verified on the ground have revealed a  gross differences in lifting and distribution pattern of the said commodities,” admitted an official of the Food and Civil Supply.

The official also admitted that the statistics and data in regard to flour distributed to consumer is not uploaded in Annavitaran Portal by the agencies. The department has also miserably failed to ensure routine quality check of the flour.

Further, the people nearby the flour mills told that one of the mills is lying unoperated for long and suspected that the commodity is manufactured elsewhere in Tinsukia areas.

Findings also revealed that the officials visit the mill once in a blue moon thus fail to ensure quality of the commodity reaching the mass every months in bulk.

When contacted, the SDO Civil Margherita told that administration has already started investigating the matter and the department has been instructed to take a serious note of the issue and work on it.

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