Allegations of increasing theft of rice meant for beneficiaries under Karnataka’s Anna Bhagya scheme in Anekal have prompted the district Guarantee Implementation Committee to call for closer monitoring by Food Department officials. Committee district chairperson Achyutaraju raised the issue at a taluk-level review meeting held in the Anekal Taluk Panchayat hall on Thursday.
Achyutaraju said rice and other food grains intended for distribution through the public distribution system were being stolen in the taluk. He asked Food Department officials to monitor the functioning of fair price shops and take steps to prevent beneficiaries from being deprived of their entitlements. The report did not specify the number of alleged theft cases or identify the shops involved.
The meeting also focused on the time residents spend collecting ration. According to Achyutaraju, people have been standing in queues outside fair price shops from as early as 4 am to obtain food grains. He said officials should discuss the issue with fair price shop owners and establish suitable arrangements so that beneficiaries do not have to leave work and wait for long periods to collect their ration.
He also said steps should be taken to prevent technical problems during the distribution process. A request would be submitted to the Food Minister seeking action to reduce such disruptions, according to the report. The statement did not specify whether the technical issues were linked to biometric authentication, electronic point-of-sale devices, network connectivity or another part of the distribution system.
The directions place responsibility on local officials and fair price shop operators to make ration distribution more accessible and orderly. Achyutaraju said beneficiaries should be treated with courtesy and respect, and should not be made to visit shops or offices unnecessarily. He warned that fair price shops found to be unfriendly to the public would be closed without consideration.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of other state welfare guarantees. Taluk committee president Purushotham Reddy said the August instalment under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme had been credited and that the remaining two months’ instalments would be deposited within the next 15 days. The report did not provide details about the number of beneficiaries covered or the total amount pending.
The committee has instructed taluk-level panels to hold review meetings every 15 days. The meeting was attended by Anekal Taluk Panchayat executive officer Bhairappa, committee members Sushilamma, S.T.D. Ramesh, Jayasudha, Sanaulla and Lokesh, and Child Development Project Officer Mahesh. The next review meetings are expected to provide a forum for monitoring ration distribution, complaints about fair price shops and technical problems affecting access to welfare benefits.
