Badasahi/Baliapal: Beneficiaries enrolled under the National Food Security Act are upset over supply of substandard rice to them at Badashi panchayat in Mayurbhanj district. Several such people alleged that the rice supplied to them is not fit for consumption.
“The rice we have received is black and red in colour and even carries broken rice and paddy. The rice smells so badly that it cannot be eaten,” said Koilu Marandi, Sumitra Mani Mohant and Kabita Mohant. They stated that though they had drawn the attention of the panchayat executive officer, gram rozgar sevak and sarpanch, the rice is not being replaced.
Many poor, farmers and daily wagers said they cannot raise their voice fearing they would be harassed all the while. “We have no way but to take the rice,” they said, adding that substandard rice is added to good quality stuff and then supplied to people.
Sarpach Laxmidhar Singh said he will look into it. Civil supplies officer Prafulla Kumar Das said the retailer has been asked not to supply poor quality rice. Quality rice will be supplied to them in exchange thereof, he added.
Meanwhile, a report from Baliapal said a number of people who used to receive benefits of ration cards have been dropped from the list of beneficiaries..
Expressing displeasure over the issue, many in Aladiha panchayat Saturday met the BDO and drew his attention to the problem.
They stated that their names were in the beneficiary list and they even lifted their quote of rice every month, but now their names have been dropped. They are now deprived of their quota.
Many of the beneficiaries whose names have been struck off included poor, daily wagers of ST and SC categories. Names of 72 persons including Gurubari Majhi, Bishnupriya kar, Basanti Majhi, Kabita Panda, Rashmita Behera, Truptimayii Biswal and Champabati Mandal have been dropped from the list.
Baliapal block development officer Minati Jagdev said those whose Aadhaar numbers have not been linked with ration cards have been dropped from the list of beneficiaries. PNN
