PDS rice diverted to shops or tiffin centres

TIRUPATI: The subsidised rice, given to white ration card holders, a minimum of four kg per person and 20 kg per family, is being allegedly sold at higher prices to shops or tiffin centres, for making dosa or idli batter. The poorest of the poor are supposed to get 35 kg under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana card.A fair price shop dealer, on condition of anonymity, said white card holders religiously buy the rice and sell it to shops for `5 or `6 per kg. They in turn purchase the Sona Masuri variety (`25`35 per kg) from the market. "Their income is good though we are made to believe they are scraping for two square meals a day. Of course there are some genuine cases, but thanks to various schemes most earn a good income," the shopowner alleged and pointed out in villages or even in urban areas, getting labourers to work has become a premium. According to civil supplies authorities, there are 101 fair price shops in the town which provide 8,200 quintals of subsidised rice monthly on an average. The closing balance is just 100 to 150 quintals.