BENGALURU: Officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department have uncovered a huge network that sells government ration meant for the poor in the black market, in Chandra Layout police limits. When officials went to catch the culprits, they were shocked to see the stockpiled ration in a godown.
The officials caught those who had illegally stockpiled ragi meant for ration distribution. The officials who conducted the raid were shocked to see the quantity of foodgrains stored there. Even though they know that illegally stockpiling foodgrains meant for the poor and selling it in the black market is illegal, many are not giving up this fraud.
With the assistance of the Central Crime Branch police and Chandra Layout police, when officials raided the godown, more than 15 tons of ragi stock was found. Officials immediately seized everything, along with two vehicles and the godown. During the raid the owner escaped, and Food Department officials have filed a complaint at Chandra Layout station.
Food and Civil Supplies Department official Krishnamurthy told Public TV, “In urban areas like Bengaluru, people don’t use ragi much. This has been stocked and was being diverted to the black market. We are continuously taking action against such people. PDS consumers who aid in diverting foodgrain to the black market will also face action and they will not get foodgrains for six months”.
At the same time, another shocking fact has also come to light. It has also been revealed that beneficiaries themselves are responsible for stockpiling of huge quantities of foodgrains. Many people who don’t use the ragi given by the government on ration cards take the free ragi and sell it for black market money. It has also come to light that big traders buy from them and stockpile it in large quantities in godowns themselves and sell it in the market.
The fact that beneficiaries themselves are involved in the fraud is becoming a challenge for the department to stop this malpractice. The government should also take strict action against beneficiaries who sell ration. Only then can such cases be curbed.
