It
will be extremely pleasurable for anyone to know and
understand that efforts have been given a great momentum
in Madhya Pradesh to re-mould the public distribution
system, which deals with a very large number of poor, to
fulfil its basic objective. It also assumes significance
in the light of the fact that the state government has
braced itself well ahead of enforcement of Food Security
Act in the country. Under such circumstances and seeing
the several measures being taken, this expectation is not
baseless that if everything goes with the same momentum,
the day is no far when Madhya Pradesh will become a
pioneering state in making the PDS system flawless.
The
public distribution system aiming particularly to help the
poor get their rightful dues with ease, is such a large
network that possibility of any flaw creeping into it
cannot be ruled out completely. What important is that
efforts are put for setting right this link before it is
covered by layers and layers of dust. This work was more
difficult and challenging in the democratic setup since
any regulatory or reformative decision become subject to
hurdles of pulls and pressures. But when solid efforts are
undertaken without caring about these factors then the
intentions of those who undertake these efforts become
crystal clear as clean and successful.
Strategy
of Madhya Pradesh
Facts
cannot be overlooked if one wants to establish truth.
Therefore, this is worth mentioning that Chief Minister
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan had girded up his loin to
overhaul the public distribution system in the state two
and half years ago. He set this process in motion by
amending 18-year-old obsolete Food Control and
Distribution Order, which had become too ineffective to
meet present-day requirements. Work started on this at a
rapid pace, major changes and improvements were undertaken
and the new Food Control and Distribution Order came into
being in year 2009. Indeed, it was a very effective step
and its results are now coming to the fore.
Curbs
on fair price shops
According
to the new Food Control and Distribution Order, first of
all days and timings of opening of fair price shops have
been fixed. Therefore, now shopkeepers will not be able to
work arbitrarily. Another revolutionary step taken with
the help of ultramodern technique is that every consumer
of public distribution system will be given advance
information through SMS alert about the quantity and date
of supplies reaching the fair price shop of his area.
Earlier, there had been frequent complaints that
shopkeepers used to return consumers empty-handed on a
number of occasions on the pretext like “wheat or any
other commodity has not arrived yet, at present you can
take rice.” Information through SMS is being given free
of cost provided a consumer get himself registered with
Directorate of Food and Civil Supplies. For this also
consumers have been given the option of online
registration so that they do not have to wander about.
The
government is also going to give permission to sell other
essential items at fair price shops apart from food
grains. This will give another opportunity to shopkeepers
to increase their income and they will not misappropriate
ration.
Tracking
of ration
On
the initiative of the Chief Minister, now arrangements are
being made to keep track of the movement of entire route
of trucks transporting food grains from godowns to fair
price shops. This task will be ensured through GPS
technique. This technique has already proved to be useful
in the case of supply of blue kerosene in Tikamgarh
district. This system will prevent possibility of
misappropriation of ration during transportation.
Other
modern techniques like IISFM and IRRM systems have also
started functioning in the state. Through this, even field
officers are getting online information about availability
and lifting of quota from warehouses. In the series, a
target has also been fixed to computerise ration cards in
all the districts by December 31, 2012.
Food
Coupon Scheme to eliminate bogus ration cards
The
State Government wishes chances of making bogus ration
cards are rooted out. Special campaigns were also launched
during the last two years for checking ration cards. Now,
more effective measures are being taken in this connection
through Food Coupon
Scheme and Aadhaar Number Scheme. Under the scheme, every
person will get an identity, which will be unique in the
whole country. New ration cards and Food Coupons will be
issued on the basis on this unique identity. Fake ration
cards will be eliminated themselves since ration will be
provided on Food Coupons. About 19 lakh persons have been
registered so far for this Unique Identity Number and
about five lakh persons have been provided with UIDs. The
process is being intensified and accelerated throughout
the state.
Advance
lifting of quota and six months’ lump sum ration
Another
major step taken by the State Government is in the form of
advance lifting of quota allocated to it by the Central
Government. This has paved way for constant supply of food
grains to fair price shops and on the other hand the
Central Government cannot also dilly-dally on allocation
of food grains. The State Government has also made
available another facility to consumers by allowing them
to lift six months’ lump sump ration. It is totally
optional. A capable consumer can buy six months’ quota
at a time from ration shop. Otherwise, he can also
purchase one month’s ration.
Extremely
low-cost ration to poor
Since
April 2008, wheat and rice are being supplied against
ration cards to BPL consumers at the rates of Rs 3 and Rs
4.50 respectively under Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojna.
In
view of these efforts it will not be exaggeration to say
that Madhya Pradesh is going to lead the country in total
improvement in public distribution system.
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