Giridih, Rakesh Sinha: There is a gross violation of the National Food Security Act in the public distribution system in Giridih district of Jharkhand. Ration is distributed among the poor every month through the public distribution system. In this distribution system, monthly distribution cycle has been implemented under the National Food Security Act, but this provision is being openly ignored in the district. Let us tell you that before making the public distribution system online, complaints of black marketing of grains were being received on a large scale. The grains of each month were not available in the same month and in such a situation, black marketeers got the opportunity to make irregularities in the distribution of grains. Monthly distribution cycle was implemented to streamline this system. Under this, there is a provision to give every month’s food grains to every cardholder in the same month, but by not doing so, the black marketeer syndicate has again started using new methods.
Grain is being made disappear due to extension of time
Even after the monthly distribution cycle is implemented, the transport and delivery people are not ready to accept it. Do not want to allow this system to be implemented to carry out grain scam. Extension of period is being taken by not giving food grains every month. Now this is becoming a tradition. By taking a period extension of about 15 days, grain distribution for two months is shown and a large quantity of grain is embezzled.
The game is being played in collusion with departmental officials
This game of period extension has been going on for a long time. These people take an extension of 15 days every month on the pretext of not getting food grains to the cardholders. The truth is that the government has issued a notification to give food grains to the cardholders from the first day of every month, but by making the excuse of not getting the grains, the cardholders postpone the time and they are not given the grains. Departmental sources say that this information is known to officials from block to state level of the supply department. But, still everyone remains a mute spectator. On February 29, 2024, Satishchandra Choudhary, Special Duty Officer of the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department, has extended the distribution period of food grains for the month of February. In this letter, he has clarified that due to the non-completion of distribution of food grains, the monthly distribution cycle has been amended. That is, they changed the provisions of the Food Security Act itself.
Grain tampering is done by taking double fingerprints
According to departmental sources, in order to provide food grains to each card holder, instead of 12 months every year, grains are available only for 9 or 10 months. This is the reason why grains are not given every month by breaking the monthly cycle system. Besides, cardholders are also confused. Experts say that due to extension of period, double finger is taken from the card holders for two months worth of grains, out of which one month’s grain is embezzled and only one month’s grain is given to the beneficiaries. Many times card holders have also expressed their protest regarding this matter.
Distribution for the month of March has not yet started in Birni.
Despite festivals like Holi in the month of March, all the cardholders have not been able to get food grains yet. According to the Jharkhand government portal, the worst situation in the district is in Birni block. The percentage of distribution in Birni is zero. Here, grains for the month of March have not been given to the cardholders yet, due to which about 30893 cardholders are affected. At the same time, in Dhanwar block the percentage of distribution in the month of March is only 4.09 percent. This figure is of March 21, 2024. Even in Rajdhanwar, out of total 48526 cardholders, 46580 cardholders have not been able to get food grains.
FCI gives grains a month in advance, yet distribution is arbitrary
Departmental sources say that FCI provides grains to JSFC a month in advance. But, there is a delay in reaching the grains from JSFC warehouses to the dealers. From JSFC officials to DSD sensors, everyone does as per their wish. Sources said that JSFC has been instructed to lift the grains for the month of April by March 31. Experts say that if instead of extending the period, JSFC also makes arrangements for distribution of grains of every month in the same month, then black marketing can be curbed to a great extent.
Name of the block – Allocation (kg) – Distribution (kg) – Percentage distribution
Bagodar – 743015 – 179986 – 24.22
Bengalabad – 738315 – 459412 – 62.22
Birni – 816300 – 0 – 0
Deori – 895875 – 316827 – 35.37
Money wise – 1268640 – 519116 – 4.09
Dumri – 1051910 – 743360 – 70.67
Gandeya – 778450 – 574095 – 73.75
Village – 542790 – 183490 – 33.8
Giridih Mofussil – 1112010 – 790179 – 71.06
Jamua – 1268935 – 193092 – 15.22
Peertand – 543000 – 242612 – 44.68
Sariya – 725970 – 234806 – 32.34
Third – 464800 – 381527 – 82.08
Giridih Corporation – 333270 – 150554 – 45.17
Total – 11283280 – 4501856 – 39.9
what do officials say
District Supply Officer cum District Warehouse Manager Ghulam Samdani says that due to backlog in many blocks, distribution of grains is not being done on time. Told that this problem is in three blocks. A demand has been made for backlogged grains from the department. The problem will be solved by getting the backlogged grains. At the same time, Devendra Mandal, AGM of Birni, says that there is a backlog of two months going on here. Right now the grains for the month of February are being sent to the dealers. He made a lot of efforts to improve distribution. Every possible effort is being made to deliver as much grain to the dealers as we are getting.
Video of altercation between MO and AGM in Jamua went viral
Here, a video of the altercation between the MO and the AGM regarding grain lifting in the JSFC godown of Jamua has also gone viral. The dealers were not getting the prescribed quantity of grains and the complaint reached Jamua’s BDO cum MO Kamalendra Kumar Sinha. He reached Jamua warehouse on Thursday and deputed personnel there to check the weight. MGM objected to this deputation and asked for a written order to be issued. Later, Mr. Sinha told that he had sent a MNREGA worker to check the weight, so that the grains could reach the people in the prescribed quantity and a new tradition could be started. But, a junior employee showed indiscipline and stopped him from working.