OTV Impact: Bhadrak admin begins probe to check ration lapses

Bhadrak: A day after OTV reported about an eligible beneficiary, who got ration pending for over nine months after her plight was highlighted on social media, Bhadrak district administration has set up a special team to check any such lapses in ration distribution in four villages of the concerned panchayat.

As per reports, the team visited Bhagwanpur panchayat and conducted a verification of stock at various dealers, godowns and cross-checked the beneficiary list. They reportedly conducted an inquiry into the allegations of beneficiaries who have not been supplied with ration.

“It is almost over 9 months that I have been running from pillar to post to get PDS ration,” alleged Dukhiram Pati, a beneficiary from the panchayat.

Earlier, OTV had telecast a report highlighting how Panchali Jena, who had not received ration since October 2018, was provided with 1.80 quintal rice yesterday after Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik intervened in the matter after it was flagged on social media.

After knowing about the plight of Panchali, a youth of Bhagwanpur panchayat took to Twitter to draw the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Food Supplies Minister and District Collector to the issue.

Subsequently, Minister for Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare, Ranendra Pratap Swain directed the district collector Gyanaranjan Das to take steps immediately to resolve the issue.