‘35,404 MT of PDS rice worth Rs 159 cr seized’

Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar reiterated that the Public Distribution Rice scam is very big in AP and that such a scam had not taken place in any State in the country.
Addressing a press conference in the Civil Supplies office at Kanuru near here on Thursday, the Minister said that 35,404 metric tonnes of PDS rice, worth Rs 159 crore had been seized in one week. A former MLA and his family extended patronage to the PDS rice mafia in all districts in the state, he alleged.
The Minister warned of taking stringent action against the culprits in the PDS rice illegal export scam.
“All steps are being taken to contain the PDS rice mafia. Intense checking is being carried out in every district to find out stocks of rice. The government is determined to eradicate the PDS rice mafia,” he announced.
“We have seen the organized PDS rice mafia in Kakinada. We will not tolerate the food mafia. The Godowns which are located adjacent to the seaport were seized. For the first time, the officials entered the godown and inspected the stock,” the Minister stated.
The erstwhile YSRCP government did not pay Rs 1659 crore to the farmers for the paddy produce, which was purchased by the government. “Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sanctioned Rs 1000 crore to disburse to the farmers for the paddy produce,” Nadendla Manohar disclosed, adding that over 50,000 farmers will get money for their paddy produce.
The Civil Supplies Corporation has a debt of a whopping Rs 36,300 crore. The civil supplies ministry which ensures food security to the poor was made debt-ridden by the previous YSRCP government, he lamented. Manohar said that steps were being taken to provide quality commodities to the people through the public distribution system. Action would be taken against those who try to commit mischief acts in weighing the commodities at the fair price shops, the Minister warned.