Parvaiz wani cni

Railways”, during which critical issues concerning foodgrain logistics, storage, allocation, and the Public Distribution System (PDS) were discussed with senior officials of the Centre, Railways, and State government.
The meeting was attended by Shri Thiru N. Muruganandam, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Shri Rabindra Kumar Agarwal, IAS, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Food Corporation of India (FCI); Ms. Priya Jacob, Director General(Storage & Movement), Department of Food & Public Distribution, Government of India and Shri R. N. Singh, Chief General Manager, Southern Railway.

During the meeting, the Hon’ble MP pointed out that Tamil Nadu continues to be classified as a food-deficient State, despite improvements in procurement and distribution mechanisms and remains heavily dependent on sustained inflows of foodgrains through the PDS. He emphasized that while Tamil Nadu faces specific logistical pressures, the broader challenges of foodgrain transportation, storage inefficiencies and distribution gaps are not confined to one State alone, but are equally evident in Jammu & Kashmir and other States.

The Hon’ble MP stated that rising food price inflation has already placed an immense burden on common households, making the role of an efficient and leak-proof Public Distribution System even more critical. He underlined that any disruption, delay, diversion, or wastage in foodgrain movement directly aggravates inflationary pressures and hits the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society the hardest.

Raising serious concerns over the ration card ecosystem, the Hon’ble MP highlighted large-scale anomalies, including the existence of multiple ration cards within the same household, alongside the exclusion of many genuine and deserving families. He stressed that such distortions defeat the very objective of food security and social justice. The Hon’ble MP strongly advocated that all left-out but eligible beneficiaries must be provided foodgrains as an interim measure until a fresh, comprehensive survey is conducted, ensuring continuity of entitlements and preventing hunger arising from administrative shortcomings.

Expressing grave concern over repeated instances of rotten, decayed, and damaged foodgrains, the Hon’ble MP stated that wastage of food is unacceptable at a time when food prices are rising and millions depend on subsidized supplies. He remarked that food wastage is intrinsically linked to hunger and called for zero tolerance towards negligence in handling, transportation and storage.

Highlighting infrastructure gaps, the Hon’ble MP emphasized that government godowns must be made hygienic, scientific, and fit for long-term storage, with proper sanitation, pest control, and regular quality assessments. He also stressed the importance of end-to-end monitoring systems to track foodgrains from procurement to delivery at fair price shops.

Drawing attention to railway-based logistics, the Hon’ble MP raised concern over diversion, pilferage and the growing role of middlemen, particularly at railway siding points, which has led to unauthorized sale and leakages of foodgrains. He demanded strict implementation of existing policies, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and clear accountability of officials to eliminate middlemen and prevent diversion of foodgrains meant for public welfare.

The Hon’ble MP further pointed out that PDS allocations are still based on the outdated 2011 Census, despite significant population growth over the past decade. He stressed that this discrepancy leads to shortages at the ground level, weakens food security, and further fuels inflationary pressures. He called for urgent rationalisation of allocations in line with current demographic realities.

The Hon’ble Member of Parliament urged the concerned authorities to ensure efficient transportation, transparent logistics, hygienic storage and timely delivery to government godowns, so that foodgrains reach the intended beneficiaries across all States, including Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, and other states, without loss, delay or diversion. He emphasized that strengthening foodgrain management is essential to curbing food price inflation, safeguarding the poor, and restoring public trust in the Public Distribution System.

All Hon’ble Members of Parliament present were accorded a warm and dignified welcome and were felicitated by the top officials present in the meeting. Cni