The Hindu : Reconstitute vigilance squads: Reddy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Reconstitute vigilance squads: Reddy

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE JUNE 30. The Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, Ramalinga Reddy, on Monday said that the vigilance squads had failed to check irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS) and called for their reconstitution.

Presiding over the `Janaspandana' programme of the Bangalore Urban District here, Mr. Reddy admitted that vigilance squads for fair price depots existed only on paper, and directed the authorities concerned to reconstitute these squads.

He said that commodities released under the Antyodaya Scheme and for supply to below poverty line (BPL) card-holders were not reaching the beneficiaries as the fair price depots were selling the grains in the black market.

Mr. Reddy emphasised the need for a strict vigil on such activities and called upon the elected representatives to play an active role in improving the PDS. He said there were many cases of people who were economically sound being issued the BPL cards in Bangalore Urban District. He directed the officials to issue the cards only to eligible people.

Mr. Reddy said that all eligible families in Bangalore Urban District would be issued BPL cards. At present, only a fixed percentage of the people are being given the cards. Presidents and vice-presidents of taluk panchayats, city municipal councils (CMCs), and town municipal councils (TMCs) in Bangalore Urban District, and members of the Bangalore Urban Zilla Panchayat attended the meeting and spoke about the problems relating to the PDS in their areas.

The Bangalore Urban Zilla Panchyat President, Rathna G.Reddy, the legislators, Munivenkata Reddy and R.Ashok, and the Deputy Commissioner (Bangalore Urban), D.S.Ashwath, spoke.

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