Imphal, September 25 2009: Even though officials of the state government insisted that all items of Public Distribution System (PDS) are being made available to the people in time, public complaints have overwhelmed the visiting members of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) saying that the people are not getting the PDS items in time.

The six member team of the Central Vigilance Committee led by its chairman Mr Justice DP Wadhwa, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India arrived in the state today to look into the maladies that are affecting the proper functioning of the Public Distribution System (PDS).

They arrived in the for its three days visit.

As soon as the team arrived in Imphal, they held a meeting with state principal secretary (agriculture), commissioner of state consumer affair, food and public distribution, deputy commissioners, ADCs and officials of the concern department at the conference hall of the state secretariat.

The meeting discussed on the mode of transportation of PDS items in the state and systems of distribution to the people and whether the quota for the scheme provided to the state by the Food Corporation of India is enough or not.

In reply to the discussion, commissioner (CAFPD) S Budha informed that for onward supply to the people, state procured the PDS items from the FCI by depositing the require amount to the State Bank of India in favour of the FCI.

The items were stored at the state FCS godwons at Sangaiporou for onward supply the Deputy Commissioners of each district who are responsible for further distribution to the people through authorized agents.

But, due to the disturbances on the national highways in procuring the items from outside the state, sometimes, the distribution of the PDS items to the people faced delay.

The distribution of PDS item to the people is done through the fair price shops opened through the Deputy Commissioners and the process is conducting smoothly, the officer claimed.

The fare for the transport of the items is given on the fare rate fixed by the state transport department.

The responsibility of transporting the items from the state godowns is done as per the convenient of the respective DCs, he went on to inform.

After the meeting with the officials of the state, the commission held public hearing on the matter at state Guest House where card holders, consumers, members of Fair Price Shop Dealers' Association, NGOs, Women Self Help Groups and transporters put up their complaints.

They lodged compliant that they could not get the PDS items on time in most of the time.

Apart from these they got less quantity of the items against the monthly quotas for them.

They are not getting sugar for a long time and also put up getting of kerosene at low quantity and requested the commission to look into the matter and arrange for proper and timely getting of the said items.

The commission gave signaled to the state officials to note the complaints of the people and take up measure to fulfill the demand of the people.

The public will continue further tomorrow.

Due to the extension of the public hearing, the scheduled of conducting another hearing in Churachandpur tomorrow has been cancelled.

They team will also inspect some fair price shops in Imphal west and each tomorrow.

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