Andhra Pradesh: Govt tightening checks on PDS rice smuggling, says minister Nadendla Manohar

B Venu Lanka

Civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar on Tuesday informed the legislative council that the state govt is tightening enforcement to curb illegal transportation of PDS rice. Responding to questions raised by MLCs, he said several shortcomings in the civil supplies system are being addressed through technology-driven reforms.

Manohar said the govt is introducing smart rice cards and upgrading ePOS machines to enhance transparency in ration distribution. Since the coalition govt took office, PDS rice worth Rs 234 crore was already seized in enforcement drives, he informed the House.

The minister warned that anyone caught smuggling rice would face strict action under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act. To strengthen monitoring, seven new check posts have been established — three at Kakinada Port, three in Visakhapatnam, and one in Nellore. In the last year alone, authorities seized 5.65 lakh metric tons of rice. He also highlighted a case in Kaikaluru where rice worth Rs 5.45 crore was diverted from the MLS point, adding that a detailed report would be submitted to the govt within two days, followed by criminal cases against those involved.

During the council session, chairman Moshen Raju raised another issue regarding protocol lapses at the Kanaka Durga temple. He expressed displeasure that MLCs were facing difficulties in securing darshan and revealed that he called the protocol office 20 times without receiving a response.

Responding, minister Manohar assured that proper time slots have been allocated for VIP visits without disrupting regular devotees. He promised that corrective measures would be taken immediately to resolve the problem.

This article has been republished from the Times of India.