Delhi Food and Civil Supplies officials indifferent to corruption

The Public Grievance Commission (PGC) of Delhi has raised questions about the sincerity of the officials in the Food and Civil Supplies department of the Delhi Government in tackling corruption charges levelled against them in the distribution of “bogus” ration cards.

The PGC had received a complaint against the Food and Civil Supplies department in August last year, in which the complainant had alleged that fake ration cards were being distributed by these officers at Circle 2 (Burari Circle) and that they had been charging the card holders Rs 1,000 for the issuance of such cards.

The complainant also apprised the Commission of as many as 114 bogus ration cards issued by the circle under the Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), making the card holders entitled for subsidised food grains.

The PGC had convened its hearing in September last year on receiving the complaint in August. But the officers in the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Circle 2, remained absent in many hearings despite the Commission sending notices to them.According to senior officials in the Commission, the attitude of the officers from the Food and Civil Supplies department has been unpardonable as they had been disobeying the Commission’s order ever since the case had been listed for hearing. “They (Food and Civil Supplies department) had been sending officers like clerks and stenographers during the hearing when senior officials were being asked to be present with an Action Taken Report in the complaint. This shows the lack of seriousness to tackle corruption that is deep rooted in such departments,” an officer in the PGC said. N. Dilip Kumar, member, PGC, in his hearing on 7 June 2017 passed stern orders. In his order, he said, “Despite the categorical directions given by the Commission to A.K. Mishra (Spe- cial Commissioner, Food and Civil Supplies department) along with his Assistant Commissioner (North) to be present for the hearing personally with an ATR, both of them have been avoiding attending the hearing... If they do not attend the next hearing, it would be presumed by the Commission that they… want bogus ration cards to flourish and ultimately the Commission will recommend an appropriate vigilance inquiry.” Following this order, Assistant Commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies department was present in the last hearing convened on 13 June 2017 and the Commission was of the view that a major fraud has been happening in the Food and Civil Supplies department.

N. Dilip Kumar, in his order, advised the Commissioner of the Food and Civil Supplies department to register FIRs against persons who have been involved in the case and have also requested the Delhi Police Commissioner to assist and investigate the fraud on a priority basis.