Source: Hueiyen News Service
Shillong, September 21 2009:
A delegation of the Central Vigilance Committee, led by a former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice D.P.Wadhwa, will hold a public hearing on public distribution system (PDS) in Shillong on Tuesday.
An official source told The Telegraph today that the public meeting assumes significance in the context of frequent misappropriation of foodgrain meant to be distributed to the economically weaker section in the state.
Though there were several reports of scams related to the shoddy distribution of foodgrain, including wheat in Meghalaya, no pro-active step was taken by the government to arrest the trend.
The public meeting to streamline the state's PDS will be of great help to the government, the official added.
Justice Wadhwa, will hear suggestions by the public during the meeting.
The committee will focus on the mode of appointment of dealers, ideal rate of commission payable to the dealers, modalities as to how the vigilance committees already in place can function better and how there can be transparency in allotment of the food stock to be sold at the shops.
The committee has invited members of the general public,organisations, interest groups, NGOs, transporters in the state of Meghalaya to attend and give suggestions on ways and means to improve the PDS in Meghalaya.
A state government official said the public meeting would be helpful to the state government as the views and suggestions of NGOs and the public on the matters affecting the PDS will enable the government to streamline the distribution system in Meghalaya.
The committee wanted the people of the state to give their independent views on the problems faced by them related to the Meghalaya's food and civil supplies department, functioning of fair price shops, Food Corporation of India or any other authority or body concerned with the PDS.