Modi’s elder brother says widespread pilferage in fair price shops

“Yes,the contention of the general public is true. Fair Price Shop owners across the state steal on the quota and quantity of the ration that is to be supplied to the poorer section of society,” said at a public hearing organised by the Central Vigilance Committee on Public Distribution System (PDS) here on Monday.

He said this pilferage is there “because the government,even after many representations,has not increased the commission of FPS owners in the last two decades,which remains stagnant at 4 per cent”. He added that GFPSKLHA,with nearly 24,000 members (all FPS owners in the state,he claims),has been demanding to increase the commission to at least 10 per cent.

He went on to say that a FPS owner earns only 17 paise per litre of kerosene and sells sugar at loss,as it is sold at Rs 1,350 per quintal while the purchasing costs them Rs 1,371 per quintal,including the transportation cost.

Rajesh Kishore,Principal Secretary,state Food and Civil Supplies Department,who was also present at the public hearing,refused to comment on the issue. “I have nothing to say on the matter.”

The Central Vigilance Committee (CVC) was constituted after the Supreme Court’s order with D P Wadhwa,a retired SC judge,as its chairman. It is mandated to look into the maladies affecting the proper functioning of the PDS and suggest remedial measures.

The Committee,which will be in Gujarat till August 30,has scheduled the next public hearing in Godhra on Tuesday,followed by Vadodara,Rajkot,Jamnagar and Junagadh.