The enforcement task force teams of the Civil Supplies Department have prevented leakage of public distribution system and other commodities worth about ₹ 3.17 crore in three months, from February to April, by conducting raids at 179 places, registering nine criminal cases and 56 cases (6A) under the Essential Commodities Act.
According to the Civil Supplies officials, the five task force teams have seized 3,507 quintals of PDS rice, 937 quintals of custom milled rice (fine quality rice), both worth about ₹ 1 crore and sugar, LPG cylinders and kerosene worth over ₹ 2.15 crore during the raids. Besides, the department was also able to recover maximum quantity of CMR from millers with the help of frequent checks.
Against the due of 4,525.701 tonnes of CMR from millers for the 2015-16 kharif season, the due in 2016-17 kharif was only 1,192 tonnes as the recovery rate went up to 99.91%.
Commissioner of Civil Supplies C.V. Anand reviewed the performance of the enforcement wing on Sunday. He stated that the task force teams were formed with retired police, revenue, civil supplies and commercial taxes officers to check malpractices and corruption in the distribution of essential commodities was yielding good results.
The teams were conducting frequent raids on the mandal-level stock (MLS) points and fair price shops to check irregularities/misuse in PDS and at State borders to prevent illegal transportation of PDS rice to other States, Mr. Anand said. Besides, raids were also being conducted on rice mills, government hostels and schools getting fine quality rice ( sanna biyyam ) from rice millers under the Mid-Day-Meal Scheme, LPG godowns and illegal transportation of rice to other States through rail and road transport, he noted.
