In a decisive move to curb the illegal recycling of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice, Dr. Thota Raja, the Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Supplies Corporation, spearheaded unexpected inspections of rice mills in the Kakinada district on Saturday. The crackdown, part of a broader state initiative to protect essential food supplies, targeted facilities suspected of misusing grains intended for the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
Surprise Inspections Reveal Irregularities
The Chairman’s team conducted a series of strategic raids across several milling units located in the Kakinada region. During the operation, Dr. Thota Raja and his team of officials scrutinized stock registers, physical inventory, and processing logs. Preliminary findings suggest significant discrepancies between the recorded stocks and the actual grain available on-site.
Dr. Raja emphasized that the state government maintains a “zero-tolerance policy” regarding the diversion of PDS rice. “Our primary objective is to ensure that the rice intended for a million poor households reaches their plates, rather than being diverted into the open market or smuggled for illegal profiteering,” the Chairman stated during the inspection.
Accountability for Millers
The raids are a response to mounting reports of PDS rice being polished and repackaged as premium varieties by unscrupulous millers. Authorities noted that several mills failed to provide satisfactory explanations for missing stocks of “custom-milled rice” (CMR) that were supposed to be delivered to the government.
Legal action and strict penalties are expected for any mill owners found guilty of violating the Essential Commodities Act. Dr. Raja confirmed that the Civil Supplies Corporation would continue these flash inspections across various districts to dismantle any established networks of rice smuggling.
Improving the PDS Supply Chain
In addition to the raids, the Chairman reviewed the local procurement processes and storage conditions. He instructed local civil supplies officials to maintain high-quality standards and ensure that the grain-to-rice conversion happens within the stipulated timeframes. The move is seen as a major step toward bringing transparency to the state’s food distribution machinery and deterring middle-men from exploiting government resources.
