Aska: Despite assurances by both state and union governments, public delivery system (PDS) beneficiaries of Aska block have alleged that the fair price shop owners are refusing them supplies citing lack of availability.
Both the state and union government have announced to distribute three-months rations including wheat, rice, arhar dal and Rs 1,000 in cash to PDS beneficiaries in order to reduce food shortage among the people.
Sources said there are 27 panchayats under Aska block. There are 29,909 beneficiary families living across panchayats in this block. Residents here alleged that about 50 per cent of beneficiaries in the block have not got their ration till now. It has led to resentment among the beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, some of the fair price shop dealers claimed that they have exhausted the food grains they received. Several others said they have received stock of rice but not wheat and they are not distributing ration owing to this limitation.
Block supply inspector Jayaram Lenka said the block has not received wheat as per the requirement. “Since it is not possible to distribute wheat on one day and rice on another, we have refused people to come to the PDS centre until the arrival of wheat stock.”
Lenka further claimed that the dealers have already distributed Rs 1,000 cash benefit to almost 90 per cent people of the block.
PNN