GPS to track vehicles transporting PDS rice in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: To keep a tab on diversion of essential commodities especially rice meant for the Public Distribution System (PDS) to the open market, the state government on Saturday decided to install Global Positioning System (GPS) on items transporting vehicles.

Speaking on the decision at a press meet here, Food and Supplies minister Surya Narayan Patro said the move is aimed to check irregularities in distribution of the PDS rice.

“The trucks which will carry the PDS rice will be first weighed at mills and later their weight will also be measured when they unload at the godowns.

A tracking device will be installed in the vehicles so that they do not deviate from their original routes during transportation.

This will help us keep track of any embezzlement during the course of journey as any deviation will be noted at the central office and subsequently action will be taken,” Surya added.

Commenting on black marketing, Patro said “It is the responsibility of the dealers to ensure that people get the right amount of rice. If the millers do not release the PDS rice at the right time, strict actions will be taken against them and their dealership will be blacklisted.”

Patro further said the government will directly transfer the dues of the farmers into their bank accounts based on the detailed report of the transaction of their produce.

Similarly, to bring transparency on farm loans given by primary societies, the government has started computerisation of the information on loanees. “A computerised book will be prepared containing all loanees and their details which will be distributed to the societies,” Patro said.