BHUBANESWAR: Nuakhai has turned out to be a big disappointment for more than a thousand residents of four villages in Tureikela block of Balangir district as they were not provided subsidised rice for the last two months under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) even though the State Government had made advance allocation in this regard. The villagers of Bada Banki, Muri Bahal, Sale Mudoga and San Banki, including 1,250 NFSA card holders and 100 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries, should have received their rice for July and August on July 7. But, the villagers, most of whom belong to below poverty line (BPL) families, have not received rice under the NFSA.
Congress leader and former MLA Santosh Singh Saluja alleged that though the issue was brought to the notice of Balangir Collector, Sub- Collector and Civil Supply Officer (CSO) by an NFSA beneficiary Ghanashyam Dharua, no step has been taken to correct the situation. Alleging that about 220 quintals of rice have been misappropriated, Saluja said this is not for the first time that such irregularities in the distribution of subsidised rice have come to the fore in the block which is one of the poorest in the country.
The NFSA beneficiaries of the four villages demanded an inquiry into the irregularities and have threatened to stage a mass dharna if the problem is not resolved. Saluja has also demanded stringent action against the guilty officials.