Grain adulteration high in BJP States

As per the Annual Public Laboratory testing report of Enforcement sample for 2021-22 financial year, 7,781 civil cases and 2,694 criminal cases for adulteration in food grains were booked in Uttar Pradesh

Hyderabad: Many BJP-ruled States have the dubious distinction of registering large number of civil and criminal cases for adulteration in food grains in fair price shops.

As per the Annual Public Laboratory testing report of Enforcement sample for the 2021-22 financial year, 757 civil cases and 71 criminal cases were registered in Gujarat, besides raising penalties of Rs 3.96 crore and Rs 3.27 lakh respectively. Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh 7,781 civil cases and 2,694 criminal cases were booked.

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In comparison, in Telangana, 353 civil cases and 32 criminal cases were booked in the State and Rs 8.77 lakh penalties were raised for the civil cases. These details were shared by union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Responding to a question by MP Ramcharan Bohra, the union Minister informed that State governments were directed to supply only good quality food grains free from insect infestation and confirming to the Food Safety Standards under Public Distribution System and other welfare schemes.

He said ample opportunities were provided to the State governments to inspect the stocks prior to lifting them from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns. Further samples of food grains are to be collected and sealed from the food grains stocks to be issued PDS, jointly by FCI and State government administration, he said.

PDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the union and State governments.

While, union government was responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation of food grains upto the designated FCI depots, State government was entrusted with the task of distributing food grains within their limits, identification of eligible beneficiaries, issue of ration cards, supervision and monitoring of fair price shops, he added.