The government Friday admitted that it has no mechanism in the state to check quality of the rice which is purchased from Food Corporation of India and sold to people through public distribution system.Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Choudhary Zulfikar Ali said that the government checks the rice through visual tests only. He added that for ration the state gets certificate from FCI about ration quality. “We don’t have any scientific laboratory in which we can check or monitor quality of rice that we purchase from FCI. We check the rice only by visual tests,” Ali told reporters here during a press conference.The minister was responding to questions about the sub-standard quality of rice supplied by FCI and which the CAPD sells to people on cheaper rates though PDS system.
“I have raised the issue of non-availability of scientific laboratory in the state with the chief minister. I have recommended that the state should have a scientific food testing laboratory for checking and monitoring quality of rice,” the minister said.To questions about scams and pilferage in ration, the minister admitted that there has been pilferage of ration in the department. “We will conduct inquiries wherever pilferage has taken place. The government will ensure that there is strict action against the wrong-doers,” he said.The minister said that the department will have proper mechanism of surveillance through modern gadgetry and distribution of rice to consumers will be done through biometric system. (KNS)