Distribution of PDS rice through fair price shops from June 1

Vijayawada: Minister for Civil Supplies Nadendla Manohar said on Tuesday that the state Cabinet had decided to withdraw the distribution of PDS rice through mobile dispensing units (MDU), the door delivery vans introduced by the previous YSRCP government. He said the rice will be distributed through 29,000 fair price shops from June 1.

Giving details of the Cabinet decisions to the media at the Secretariat here, the minister said the rice distributed through the public distribution system (PDS) was diverted in a large scale using the distribution vans during the previous YSRCP regime.

He said the YSRCP government misused nearly Rs 2,000 crore by introducing MDS vans in the name of door delivery of the PDS rice.

He alleged that the vans were used for rice smuggling by forming into a syndicate. He further said 288 cases were booked against the van operators, including criminal cases for diversion of rice. According to him, 70,000 metric tonnes of diverted rice had been seized. There was no trace of 570 rice distribution vans, he remarked.

He said for those people who are above 60 years of age and physically challenged, the rice will be distributed at the doorstep. A special app will be designed to prevent diversion of the PDS rice and CC cameras will be installed at fair price shops, he explained, adding that the fair price shops would be converted into Kirana shops to sell Bharat products.

Coming to the distribution of free LPG cylinders, the minister said that amount will be credited into the accounts of beneficiary women in advance.