<p>Food grains worth nearly Rs 114.19 crore meant for beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) were stolen, diverted or illegally transported across the state in the last five years.</p><p>According to data from the Food and Civil Supplies department, nearly 2.38 lakh quintals of food grains, which were illegally transported, had been recovered between 2021-22 and December of 2025. The vigilance wing of the department has arrested 3,387 people in this regard. In 2025, the government had suspended at least three officials of the department for their involvement in siphoning off food grains. </p><p>Sources in the department say the recovery is just a tip of the iceberg and the loss of food grains could be much higher, at least two-three times more than the reported cases. A senior office bearer of the State Food Commission says large scale diversion of PDS food grains is taking place in connivance with the department's officials. Karnataka has 1.08 crore ration card holders, and 4.01 crore beneficiaries. The Centre and state allocate nearly 43 lakh quintals of food grains -- rice, jowar and ragi — annually.</p><p>The essentials are either stolen during transportation from the central warehouse to state-operated storehouses or fair price shops by truck drivers. Also, officials usually undervalue or overvalue the total quantity of food grains being transported, resulting in loss to the government. The department, in the last five years, has seized 1,683 trucks that were illegally transporting PDS rice.</p><p>The diverted food grains are usually transported to private rice mills, which polish the PDS rice, re-package it and sell them either in local market for higher price or as BJP MLC C T Ravi had recently claimed in Council, is exported to foreign countries.</p>.First foodgrain freight train reaches Anantnag with additional commodities.<p>State Food Commission Chairman H Krishna says it is highly impossible to divert food grains without the involvement of officials at multiple-levels. A total of 2,464 FIRs have been registered in this regard. However, the department did not provide information related to the total number of officials booked or suspended for their involvement in the crime.</p><p>“There is a need to fix the system from bottom to top. There are multiple loopholes in the process of distribution of PDS right from storing grains at central warehouses till it reaches the fair price shops. The miscreants are misusing these loopholes,” he says.</p><p>One of the deputy directors of the department said at times they get 26 kg rice bags that are 500 grams to a kilo less from warehouses. "Food grains are also stolen at fair price shops where dealers divert the food grains of beneficiaries by taking their Aadhaar details. Unfortunately, even many beneficiaries, who get higher rations, sell their food grains to hotels and individuals for higher prices,” said the officer.</p><p>Repeated attempts to reach out to Food & Civil Supplies Secretary Kanaga Valli M, Commissioner Ravi Kumar M R and Minister H Muniyappa failed to elicit any response. </p>
<p>Food grains worth nearly Rs 114.19 crore meant for beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) were stolen, diverted or illegally transported across the state in the last five years.</p><p>According to data from the Food and Civil Supplies department, nearly 2.38 lakh quintals of food grains, which were illegally transported, had been recovered between 2021-22 and December of 2025. The vigilance wing of the department has arrested 3,387 people in this regard. In 2025, the government had suspended at least three officials of the department for their involvement in siphoning off food grains. </p><p>Sources in the department say the recovery is just a tip of the iceberg and the loss of food grains could be much higher, at least two-three times more than the reported cases. A senior office bearer of the State Food Commission says large scale diversion of PDS food grains is taking place in connivance with the department's officials. Karnataka has 1.08 crore ration card holders, and 4.01 crore beneficiaries. The Centre and state allocate nearly 43 lakh quintals of food grains -- rice, jowar and ragi — annually.</p><p>The essentials are either stolen during transportation from the central warehouse to state-operated storehouses or fair price shops by truck drivers. Also, officials usually undervalue or overvalue the total quantity of food grains being transported, resulting in loss to the government. The department, in the last five years, has seized 1,683 trucks that were illegally transporting PDS rice.</p><p>The diverted food grains are usually transported to private rice mills, which polish the PDS rice, re-package it and sell them either in local market for higher price or as BJP MLC C T Ravi had recently claimed in Council, is exported to foreign countries.</p>.First foodgrain freight train reaches Anantnag with additional commodities.<p>State Food Commission Chairman H Krishna says it is highly impossible to divert food grains without the involvement of officials at multiple-levels. A total of 2,464 FIRs have been registered in this regard. However, the department did not provide information related to the total number of officials booked or suspended for their involvement in the crime.</p><p>“There is a need to fix the system from bottom to top. There are multiple loopholes in the process of distribution of PDS right from storing grains at central warehouses till it reaches the fair price shops. The miscreants are misusing these loopholes,” he says.</p><p>One of the deputy directors of the department said at times they get 26 kg rice bags that are 500 grams to a kilo less from warehouses. "Food grains are also stolen at fair price shops where dealers divert the food grains of beneficiaries by taking their Aadhaar details. Unfortunately, even many beneficiaries, who get higher rations, sell their food grains to hotels and individuals for higher prices,” said the officer.</p><p>Repeated attempts to reach out to Food & Civil Supplies Secretary Kanaga Valli M, Commissioner Ravi Kumar M R and Minister H Muniyappa failed to elicit any response. </p>