Anand warns PDS truckers
The state government will track the movement of all transport vehicles carrying foodgrains meant for the public distribution system through GPS to check illegal diversion of subsidised essential commodities to the open market.
Civil supplies commissioner C.V. Anand held a meeting with Stage-I and Stage-II transport carriers on Sunday to discuss the measures to be taken to install GPS on trucks.
The plan to install GPS on these trucks have been pending for long.
Mr Anand, after assuming charge, has drawn up an action plan to complete the task faster. He said the department would install GPS devices on all trucks and warned the operators of severe consequences if they resorted to irregularities.
While Stage-1 carriers transport stocks from government godowns to mandal level points, the Stage2 carriers transport from mandal level to ration dealers.
It was found that most of the diversion happens at Stage-2, which Mr Anand wants to curb through GPS.
Mr Anand told tranporters that he had held meetings with rice millers, ration dealers, officers and staff of civil supplies department. He said there was a gradual change in their attitude after meetings and the time had come to reform the transporters.
He said not foodgrains could be diverted without the involvement of transporters and diversion of PDS foodgrains had been attracting media headlines almost every day, which would not be tolerated anymore.
"GPS will be strictly implemented. Work honestly and cooperate with us for proper implementation of GPS. If not, we will be forced to initiate action and terminate your services," Mr Anand warned.
After transporting PDS stocks, the vehicles in which GPS is installed, should not cross the district border without giving advance information to civil supplies corporation, he added.
Mr Anand assured transporters that if they work honestly, their contract tenure will be renewed every year.