Bhubaneswar: In an aim to provide help to those hit hard due to the Covid-19 pandemic, both the Centre and state government have announced supply of free foodgrains like wheat and rice. However, due to the carelessness of government officials, the beneficiaries may not get the supplies on time.
Civil supply officers (CSOs) are yet to collect foodgrains allotted under PMGKAY and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) for the months of July and August. A letter to this effect was written Wednesday by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) MD Biswajit Keshari Das to the CSOs.
“On review of the lifting position as on 21.06.2021 against allotment month of July-August, it is found that it is extremely poor,” Das said in his letter. He asked the CSOs to complete the lifting and delivery of the foodgrains to fair price shops (FPS) by June 30.
The state government has instructed that lifting of allotted foodgrains from FCI godowns and delivery to the FPS should be completed by end-June. Sources said that the lifting is happening at a very slow pace and has not even started in the districts of Bargarh, Gajapati, Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri and Rayagada.
It is very likely that collection of wheat and rice from FCI depots may not be completed by June 30. So officials have been asked to monitor the lifting/issue of wheat and rice stocks on daily basis to expedite the same order. The respective CSO will be held responsible for any lapse of supply of quota, the MD warned. The distribution of foodgrains (at the rate of Rs 5/kg per head) will start in July.
