Denying the allegation leveled by Congress president Virbhadra Singh about the bogus ration cards, spokesperson of State Govt has claimed that all allegations are totally wrong, misleading and concocted.
A spokesman of the State Government said here today that Food and Civil Supplies Department was fully aware about it and inquires into such complaints from time to time besides making inquiry at its own and if some ration card was found bogus, was cancelled forthwith. Not only this Department also registered the FIR against defaulters.
He said that during last four years 12857 ration cards of APL families were found bogus which were cancelled with immediate effect. So far, the matter regarding Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Antodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) families was concerned, the Central Government has fixed the target of 3,16,900 BPL and 1,97,100 AAY families to the State as against 3,00818 BPL and 1,95,857 AAY families were being provided ration. As per the inquiries made by the Department, no BPL and AAY family ration card had been found bogus.
The Spokesman further said that the news regarding embezzlement of Rs. one crore every month in allotment of pulses was also totally wrong. As soon as department came to know that there was some shortcomings in the tender process done to procure the pulses, the tender was cancelled immediately and new tenders were invited. He said that strict action was taken against two officers allegedly involved in the process and inquiry into it had been entrusted to Vigilance Department.
He further said that ration was being supplied to 16,77,264 ration card holders in the State besides Tibetian, Migrated labourers, NCC Camps, Students of hotels and Orphanage Homes are also being issued permits from time to time.
The Spokesman said that it was worth mentioning here that the Government of India had ranked Himachal Pradesh one of the best State in the Country in the implementation of Public Distribution System. Had there been some wrong, why Government of India has ranked the Best State in implementation of Public Distribution System, he added.
