State steps up vigil on PDS rice distribution

The state government has stepped up vigilance on PDS rice to check illegal diversion from district and mandal-level stock points. Despite enforcement teams conducting frequent raids on rice millers, ration dealers, traders and godowns in all districts to check illegal diversion of PDS rice, it continued to be smuggled to black/open market and neighbouring states and investigations revealed that these irregularities are taking place at district and mandal-level stock points of the civil supplies department, where PDS rice stocks are stored.

To check this nuisance, it was decided to set up command control centres in all the district headquarters, which will be integrated with mandallevel stock points through CCTV cameras. The districtlevel stock points will be linked with a state-level common control centre in Hyderabad. The first such common control centre in districts is being opened in Siddipet on February 28.

Civil supplies commissioner C.V. Anand had already established state-level command control centre at departments headquarters “Civil Supplies Bhavan” in the city last year.

The initiative could successfully check diversion of PDS stocks as GPS devices were installed on all trucks transporting PDS rice from godowns to ration shops and all these were linked with the command control centre. Officials in the centre are continuosly monitoring the movement of trucks.

However, the lack of vigilance at district and mandallevel stock points is still giving scope for diversion of rice.

“We will install CCTV cameras in all the 1,700 godowns located in the state within a week. Around 10 cameras will be set up to track loading, unloading, godowns, main entrance, weighing bridge, platform and movement of all staff at each godown. All this will be linked to 31 districtlevel common control centres in all districts. Collector, joint collector, civil supplies officials can directly track the movements live from godowns. These 31 centres will be linked with the state centre in Hyderabad,” Mr Anand said.

Mr Anand added that these cameras will have a recording back-up of 30 days, linked with 2MB internet speed, with which officials can track the movements in godowns and trucks round the clock.

We will install CCTV cameras in all the 1,700 godowns located in the state within a week. Around 10 cameras will be set up to track loading, unloading, godowns, main entrance, weighing bridge, platform and movement of all staff at each godown. All this will be linked to 31 districtlevel common control centres in all districts. These 31 centres will be linked with the state centre in Hyderabad.

— C.V. ANAND, Civil supplies commissioner