Jajpur: Supply of rice under the public distribution system (PDS) was disrupted in this district after a transporter assigned to supply 5,000 tonnes of rice from Bargarh did not turn up with full rice stock, a report said.
The Orissa State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) has issued a show-cause notice to transporter Kuldip Kumar Gupta, proprietor of Sriram Cattle Feed at Koksara in Kalahandi district, in this regard. The transporter sent 40 truckloads of rice by Saturday while the rest of the consignment was yet to arrive.
OSCSC general manager Santosh Kumar Dash, in his letter (1098 dated 18.1.2018), threatened to sue Gupta and asked him to reply within five days failing which he has to forfeit the money deposited as security at the time of signing the contract with the corporation. The Koksara transporter was expected to supply the rice latest by January 20.
The delay has worsened the food situation in the district which has been facing a severe shortage due to lack of enough food stocks. Observers claim food scarcity has arisen due to rice procurement from outside of the district and irregularities in paddy procurement.
This has happened due to a fall in quantum of paddy produced here over the last several years. Moreover, lack of support from the millers has worsened the situation.
The district administration has to procure five lakh quintals of rice out of 10 lakh quintals it requires from western Orissa every year for supply to BPL, Annapurna, Antyodaya and midday meal beneficiaries.
The Koksara transporter, apart from Jajpur, had also signed a contract with Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Gajapati districts to procure rice from Bargarh and Subarnapur districts and supply it at Rs 36.90 per km for a quintal of rice.
Jajpur has to depend on other districts to meet its rice requirement. The district procures 5 lakh quintals of rice that meets its requirement for six months. It depends on other districts for another six months.
Thus, the district has to spend more from its coffers to meet the cost of transporting rice from other districts. Observers claimed the district administration could have overcome the situation had it been able to collect the total quantum of rice given to millers.
Also, the problem could have been avoided had the district administration made efforts to extend the scope of irrigation to more land and made sincere efforts in paddy procurement.
District civil supplies officer Surendra Kumar Hota said the show-cause notice was issued as the transporter did not supply the full rice stock as per the contract. PNN