Monsoon Session / Odisha Food Supplies Minister Reveals Scale of Ration Irregularities, Highlights Free Rice Scheme

Bhubaneswar, Sep 23: Odisha has intensified its crackdown on irregularities in the public distribution system, with over 200 dealers and traders penalised for ration theft, black‑marketing, and malpractice in recent years.

According to official data presented in the Assembly, between 2023 and 2026, the state received 229 complaints of ration theft and irregularities.

Action was taken against 201 dealers and individuals, including license cancellations, fines, and legal proceedings. Kataka topped the list with 40 complaints, followed by Jajpur (34), Kendrapada (32), and Puri (24).

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In 2024-25 alone, 19 traders were served show‑cause notices for black‑marketing and overcharging, while 169 traders were fined a total of ₹1,92,600. In 2025-26, nine traders faced notices, though no cases were registered in 2026–27.

To curb malpractice, the government has introduced 100% e‑POS, Aadhaar‑based biometric systems, and electronic weighing machines. In tribal and remote areas, doorstep ration delivery has been arranged.

Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, in a written reply, said the Chief Minister Annapurna Yojana (CMAY) currently covers 1.02 crore families and 3.30 crore beneficiaries, each receiving 5 kg of free rice per month. This requires 1.65 lakh metric tonnes of rice monthly, costing the state nearly ₹3,813 crore annually.

Since April 2026, under the National Food Security Act, 85.12 lakh priority households and 12.37 lakh Antyodaya families have been included, along with 5.13 lakh families under the state scheme.

On ration card applications, the minister said the state received 21.87 lakh requests. Of these, 16.99 lakh have been verified, with 7.17 lakh families (14.21 lakh members) issued new cards. Another 9.81 lakh applications were rejected as ineligible, while 4.87 lakh remain under field verification.

Responding to MLA Ananta Narayana Jena, Patra added that the state is in regular contact with the Centre regarding rice lifting.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has lifted 8.12 lakh metric tonnes so far, including 6.23 lakh tonnes parboiled rice and 1.89 lakh tonnes raw rice, with a target of 22 lakh tonnes by September.