Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) has come into public gaze owing to its arbitrary act of mysteriously increasing the rates of ‘Atta’ by 62 per cent and rice by 50 per cent without making any public announcement to this effect. There is rising public resentment against this arbitrary decision. Consumers are forced to enter into argument with the dealers from whom they purchase ration on Government rates just because the consumers demand to see the Government order under which increase has been effected. Dealers are unable to produce it because there is no written order and they go by verbal instructions from the officials.
Excelsior has learnt from the State branch of FCI that rations are provided by FCI to the State on old rates and there has not been any change in the rates notified by the Central Government. This means that increase in the rates of atta from existing Rs 7.80 to Rs 13 per kg and that of rice from Rs 10 per kg to Rs 15 per kg has been affected with the sweet will of the CAPD only. Even the website of the CAPD also shows the old rate of the two items and has not given any indication that the rates have been revised. This arbitrary decision of the CAPD has its impact on the entire population which is showing resentment. The Department should have taken the consumers into confidence before taking the decision. True that the FCI has no hand in the revised rates yet the fact of the matter is that FCI has to intervene and impress upon the State Government to justify the upward revision of the rate of food grains. Our sources say that the rate of levy sugar is also going to be hiked from existing Rs 13.50 per kg to Rs 25 per kg shortly.
However, Commissioner/ Secretary CAPD has revealed that the State Cabinet had taken a decision on the revision upwards of rates of food grains in a meeting held in July 2016 and allowed continuance of old rate of ration for three months. As such after the lapse of three months rates had been revised. The point is that why a decision that touches each and every individual in the State has not been brought to the public domain and why a hush hush stance has been adopted? What justification is there to increase the rates when the supplier meaning FCI continues to supply at old rates? The CAPD must come out with a convincing argument failing which there is apprehension of public resentment deepening the crisis.
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