Kalimela: The subsidised rice being provided under PDS system at doorsteps of villagers is being misappropriated by the panchayat supply assistant, residents of Undukunda panchayat under Padia block in Malkangiri district have alleged.
The aggrieved villagers raised the issue with Kalimela BDO Sunday.
In their complaint, they said that even though the panchayat supply assistant Susil Mandal had been given the responsibility of 82 households in the panchayat to distribute the ration packets, villagers observed that Susil kept about 10 packets of rice with him and later sold them to a middleman in their area.
After receiving the complaint, BDO issued a suspension order against the responsible panchayat supply assistant. He has also started an investigation into the matter.
Notably following the lockdown guidelines of COVID-19 of state government, and in order to maintain social distancing properly, Kalimela BDO had instructed all the panchayat supply assistants to distribute the supplies under PDS system at the doorsteps of villagers. The panchayat supply assistants started distribution of ration April 2.