After Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar raised questions over alleged irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS), the Central government has also trained its guns at the West Bengal government over distribution of food grains during lockdown. In a letter addressed to State Food Secretary Parwez Ahmed Siddiqui, S Jagannathan, Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, alleged that distribution of food grains, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), was “nil” in the state. He said that the state government, under the scheme, had already procured 73,000 metric tonnes of rice. Denying the allegations, State Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick said the Central government had provided only 607 metric tonnes of masoor daal (red lentil) against the state’s demand of 15,000 metric tonnes. Under PMGKAY, each ration card holder is given five kg food grains and one kg pulses free for the next three months in view the coronavirus pandemic. This is in addition to the monthly quota of subsidised foodgrain of 5 kg per person under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Mallick said the state was already delivering food grains to fair price shops and would complete the exercise by May 1. “The prime minister announced this scheme on March 25. But the Central government gave us the confirmation of this scheme on April 16. After that, they started delivering the food grains (rice). We have already started distributing those food grains to ration dealers and we are expecting that, before May 1, we will complete our distribution.” The letter, dated April 23, said, “The State/UT-wise allocation of food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojona (PM-GKAY) scheme was already conveyed to all state/UTs and FCI (Food Corporation of India) vide letter dated 30.03.2020 and most State/UTs have already started the lifting and distribution of this additional food grains to the NFSA beneficiaries besides distribution of regular NFSA entitlements. However, in respect of your state, it is observed that no action has been initiated so far for the distribution off additional food grains (rice) to NFSA beneficiaries under this special time bound scheme.” The letter further said, “As regard availability of food grains, the FCI has informed that nearly 1.02 LMT (lakh metric tonnes) of rice is readily available at all revenue district godowns of FCI in the state and another 1.46 LMTs rice would be reaching the state by 25 About 73,300 MT of rice has already been lifted by the state from FCI, but distribution of food grains in the state is nil under the PMGKAY scheme.” The letter urged the state to start distributing food grains to “all 6.02 crore beneficiaries covered under NFSA without losing any further time”.
