Bhubaneswar: Legislators cutting across party lines on Tuesday demanded before the Speaker in Assembly to constitute a House committee which would investigate the alleged irregularities in distribution of ration cards under National Food Security Card.
The BJP members alleged that the ruling party has made the centrally sponsored food scheme as Biju Food Scheme. "Therefore, they (BJD) have distributed the cards among their leaders and workers, but not among the poor. A large number of deserving beneficiaries are yet to get the card. People started agitating in panchayat level for the same", BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit said.
Echoing similar voice, the Congress walked out of the Assembly demanding House Committee to examine the matter. "BJD workers and leaders have obtained the ration cards illegally. A gross irregularity was taken place in the distribution of cards. Protesting against it we stage a walk out", Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said.
Many leaders of the ruling BJD were proved to have acquired the ration cards. Mayor of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation was forced to resign for the same reason, he added.
Even though the NFSA is the contribution UPA government, the regional party has utterly failed to implement it in the State properly, the Congress members said.
Some members of the treasury bench also admitted irregularities in some places.
However, Food minister Sanjay Dasburma flayed the opposition members for doing cheap politic over the matter.
"It is the matter of people's bread and butter. It should not be politicised. In federal structure, the duties and responsibilities of State and Centre have been fixed. However, in the food distribution process, Centre always slashes the food grain quota putting extra burden on State ", Dasburma said.