Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) actists staged a demonstration at Tipu Sultan Garden, near Deputy Commissioner's office, here on Thursday protesting against the alleged irregularities in Public Distribution System (PDS) across the district.
They raised slogans against the district administrations for its "failure" to check rampant irregularities and corruption at Fair Price Shops. They alleged that Fair Price Shop owners, Panchayat Development Officers, computer operators and other officials at the Department of Food Civil, Supplies and Consumer Affairs had joined hands with the black market forces to divert the grains meant for poor.
"While ineligible people easily get Below Poverty Line cards, the eligible beneficiaries have to struggle to get them. It is because of irregularities and corruption, genuine beneficiaries are unable to get benefited from the Anna Bhagya scheme. The district administration should come up with stern measures to curb the corruption at grassroots level," Mr. Chamarasa Malipatil, state president of the organisation demanded.
Mr. Malipatil alleged that the officers at Department of Revenue were harassing farmers by unnecessarily delaying the issuance of 11E sketch map required for transferring the lands rights and availing farm loans from the banks. "There are hundreds of farmers across the district who have applied and are waiting for the 11E sketch maps for the last couple of years,” he said. He also demanded to settle the issues pending at Revenue Adaalat.
He warned that his organisation would not allow the construction of water tank at Rabbanakal in Manvi taluk unless the government would pay the promised compensation to farmers who had lost their lands for the project. Farmers' leaders Amaranna Gudihal, Lakshman Gowda Kadagamdoddi, Huligeppa Jalibenchi and others were present.
