HYDERABAD: To avoid diversion of Public Distribution System (PDS) stocks, the Civil Service Department (CSD) is making arrangements to install Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in vehicles of contractors so that the transportation of PDSS goods from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns to Mandal Level Stockist (MLS) points and from there to Fair Price (FP) shops can now be monitored. The move to monitor the vehicles was taken at a meeting held at the Civil Supplies Bhavan in the city on Sunday by the Civil Supplies Commissioner CV Anand. The meeting was attended by civil supplies officials and transport contractors.
The decision was taken after taking into account various reports of PDS goods being diverted. The commissioner warned the contractors that not following the rule of law would result in dire consequences.
The vehicles in which GPS devices are being installed should not cross district borders without giving advance information to officials of civil supplies corporation. Doing so would be a violation of conditions, said Anand. Only one phone number will be allotted to each vehicle permanently.
The transport contractors will be given special ID and password to know the whereabouts of the vehicles. The transport charges will be paid to the contractors online. The commissioner stated that the term of the contractors who worked honestly without giving cause for complaints would be given an extension of a year.
The decision on this would be taken later. This in response to the transport contractors’ request to extend their contracts from one to two years, the commissioner added.