Taluk-level citizens' forums to monitor PDS in State

It will consist of 12 members representing different sections of society

Food and Civil Supplies minister V Somanna, on Thursday, said the department would issue a notification on constitution of the citizens’ forum by November 1 and the committees would be active by December. The committees would serve on the lines of a consumer forum, which receives complaints from the public and recommend appropriate action against the guilty.

The minister said all fair price shopkeepers had been instructed to put up the list of beneficiaries. Every beneficiary should get foodgrain allotted to them. The citizens’ forum would keep a watch on diversion of foodgrain from the shops. And, the forums would also help the government in curbing ineligible candidates possessing the cards.

Somanna said his department had cancelled eight lakh BPL cards in possession of people who are rich and ineligible to get the cards. With that the total number of the card holders in the State had come down from 1.06 crore to 98 lakhs. The Centre had been providing food grain at subsidised price for 37 lakh card holders, while for the rest the State Government had been spending the money, he said.

Akki Santhe

The minister said Akki Santhe, which was launched in urban areas on August 15, would be extended to all rural areas from November 1. APL card holders can purchase 10 kg rice at the rate of Rs 9.40 per kg and four kg of wheat at Rs 7.20 per kg.

Employees of the government and public sector units can also purchase foodgrain by producing authorised identity cards.

As much as 73,000 MT of rice and 12,000 MT of wheat would be distributed under the programme.