Lifting of foodgrains under PDS erratic
V.P. Prabhakar
The public distribution system (PDS) did not contribute significantly to the total requirements of foodgrains in Haryana during 1992-99 as it limited to only 2 to 6 per cent of the total requirement. It was also seen that the lifting of foodgrains under the PDS was very erratic ranging from 6 to 77 per cent in the case of wheat and in the case of rice it ranged from 8 to 59 per cent.

Farm operations for February

Lifting of foodgrains under PDS erratic
V.P. Prabhakar

The public distribution system (PDS) did not contribute significantly to the total requirements of foodgrains in Haryana during 1992-99 as it limited to only 2 to 6 per cent of the total requirement. It was also seen that the lifting of foodgrains under the PDS was very erratic ranging from 6 to 77 per cent in the case of wheat and in the case of rice it ranged from 8 to 59 per cent.

Similarly, in the revamped public distribution system (RPDS) foodgrains lifting of wheat and rice was very low. Even under the targeted public distribution system (TPDS), lifting and distribution of ration for the BPL (below poverty line) families were around 48 to 50 per cent during 1997-98 and 1998-99.

The system of survey of the BPL family was flawed and audit scrutiny brought out that out of 16, 876 families identified as the BPL, 10,765 (63.79 per cent) were not actually entitled for that categorisation. In fact the total number of units (persons) registered in the ration cards were more than the rural population of the state. Extra financial burden on the Government of India by way of subsidy amounted to Rs 18.92 crore due to the existence of a large number of bogus ration cards during 1995-99. The distribution network was found deficient in rural areas.

An expert group of the Planning Commission had identified 7.33 lakh families in Haryana falling under BPL category. However, the state government had identified (1991-92) 7.20 lakh families under the BPL category for integrated rural development programme and Jawahar Rozgar Yojna. Out of this, ration cards of 5.62 lakh families were stamped up to May 1998 for covering under TPDS.

On the direction of the Government of India, the state government again conducted a survey in October, 1998, and identified 6.95 lakh BPL families in the state. Thus, 19 per cent of the identified BPL families were not covered under the scheme. However, an audit test-checked of 16,876 survey forms used during the special survey of 1998 in one district (Panchkula) and one block each in the districts of Karnal, Kurukshetra and Sonepat revealed very wide variation in the actual number of the BPL families as identified by the state government and as worked out in audit on the basis of criterion laid by the Central Government. As per audit scrutiny, only 6,111 families (36.21 per cent) were entitled for the BPL status. The variation is caused by the fact that 10,765 families were actually having radio sets, transistors, etc and, thus, were not falling within the definition of BPL family according to the criterion laid by the Central Government. Keeping in view the high rate of incorrect identification (63.79 per cent), the genuineness of 5.62 lakh BPL families already covered under the TPDS category could not be relied upon.

During 1992-93 to 1998-99, 10.21 lakh to 32.60 lakh ghost units were registered in ration cards in the state. The Food and Supplies Department had not taken any step to eliminate the names of ghost units from ration cards.

The absence of proper checks resulted in a large number of bogus cards under the RPDS which had to be cancelled during 1992-97. Under the TPDS the issue of 20,319 bogus ration cards to BPL families led to an extra financial burden of Rs 16.07 lakh on the Central Government in the shape of subsidy.

Distribution of wheat and wheat atta among BPL families was 0.83 lakh tonnes against the allocation of 1.69 lakh tonnes under the TPDS in 1997-98 to 1998-99. Out of total 5.62 lakh BPL families in the state, 3.70 lakh (66 per cent) BPL families drew wheat quota (10 kg per family per month) during 1998-99 and the remaining 34 per cent did not get the benefit of subsidised foodgrains under the TPDS.

The decision of the state government to distribute wholemeal atta among BPL families in bags (cost Rs 3 per ban) instead of wheat resulted in burdening BPL families with an extra cost totalling Rs 20.39 lakh during August, 1998, to March, 1999, on account of cost of bags.

Avoidable financial burden of subsidy of Rs 77 lakh was borne by the Central Government during 1995-98 against distribution of sugar among ghost units registered in ration cards.

Other interesting points noticed in the audit revealed that the state government decided (January, 1993), inter alia, on its own that income tax assessees would not be given levy sugar under the PDS from January, 1993, onwards, though no such provision existed in the PDS scheme then and in fact the state government continued to draw the quota of levy sugar in respect of income tax assesses and distributed enhanced quantities to other consumers.

In the districts of Ambala, Faridabad, Panchkula and Sonepat test-checked, it was noticed that 10,266 ration card holders (45,747 units) stamped as income tax assessees, were denied the benefit of 657.24 MTs of levy sugar valuing Rs 63.69 lakh under the PDS during April, 1995, to March, 1999. Levy sugar quota against these card holders was drawn by the department and distributed among other beneficiaries. This led to undue and avoidable financial burden of Rs 11.33 lakh in the shape of subsidy on the Central Government.

Distribution of kerosene against ghost ration cards during 1997-99 involved an avoidable financial burden of Rs 17.99 crore on the Government of India as a result of difference between market price and fair price.

To strengthen the RPDS, the Central Government sanctioned (February, 1993) Rs 40 lakh for purchase of vehicles for running mobile fair price shops in remote, rural far-flung and uncovered areas which was diverted by purchasing vehicles for the Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited (HAFED), an agency not associated with the RPDS.

On the request of the state government, the Central Government sanctioned Rs 1.65 crore (Rs 147.25 lakh in September, 1998, and Rs 18.04 lakh in November, 1998) for the construction of godowns having a capacity of 12,170 MTs at seven places for the PDS. Fifty per cent of the amount was to be treated as loan and the remaining was to be treated as subsidy. The sanction was valid up to March, 1999. However, the Food and Supplies Department could not settle the terms and conditions for the construction of godowns with the Haryana Warehousing Corporation (executing agency) due to which the amount sanctioned by the Central Government could not be drawn and lapsed.

The foodgrains distribution network in rural areas was inadequate as against requirement of one fair price shop for each village, the fair price shop covered between 1.36 to 1.49 villages.

The beneficiary survey report by Org-marg brought out that foodgrains consumption demands for all essential commodities (except sugar and kerosene) were met primarily through open market. A majority of consumers were unhappy about various functional aspects of the fair price shops because the shops opened irregularly and infrequently, stocks of rice, wheat and edible oil were rarely available and weighing of commodities at ration shops was a problem. The consumers perceived the quality of rice, wheat and sugar as average. There was no effective mechanism to address consumers’ grievances as there was lack of awareness among them about whom to complain.

SYL: a retrospective look
Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon

Even as the legal, administrative and political ramifications of the Supreme Court judgement on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal are being discussed and debated, the decision has not come as a surprise to those who are conversant with the past history of the water issue. Haryana had filed a petition in the Supreme Court to get the water agreement between Punjab and Haryana implemented for the construction of the SYL canal, as per the provisions of the Rajiv-Longowal accord (1985). It was pleaded that Haryana had already completed its part of the canal and paid Rs 600 crore to Punjab for the construction of the remaining part in its territory. Now the Supreme Court has ordered the Punjab Government to complete the canal in a year’s time.

It is amazing that the Shiromani Akali Dal has once again raised a hue and cry that it will not allow a single drop of water to go to Haryana. The Akalis themselves had signed the Rajiv-Longowal accord (1985). Mr Parkash Singh Badal had given his full concurrence to this accord which had sanctioned the digging of the SYL canal. The Akali leadership, which had blamed the Congress and launched the “dharam yudh morcha” to prevent the digging of the SYL canal, suddenly turned a blind eye to the vital economic interests of Punjab. In their anxiety to reap electoral harvest, they took no cognizance of the grave implications of the construction of the canal for the future. The accord was totally incongruous with their earlier commitments on the water issue. Their failure to look beyond the narrow horizon of electoral politics compounded the problems in Punjab.

The water issue in Punjab can be put in its proper perspective only when we study it in its entirety and historical totality. Before 1966, Punjab was in complete control of its rivers and the utilisation of their waters and hydel power. Ever since the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, the most important demand of the Akali Dal has been the restoration of the state’s river waters as per constitutional, national and international norms based on the riparian principles. Sections 78 to 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act gave unlimited powers of control, development and distribution of waters to the Centre. In 1976, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced a unilateral Award which allowed non-riparian states of Haryana and Rajasthan to make use of Punjab waters and hydel power. Chief Minister Giani Zail Singh did not have the courage either to protest against the unconstitutional award or to file a suit against it in the Supreme Court. In 1978 when an Akali ministry was in power in the state and the Janata ministry was at the Centre, the Akali Dal filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 78 to 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act. In 1980, when Indira Gandhi came back to power, she literally coerced Chief Minister Darbara Singh into signing an agreement (1981) with the non-riparian states of Haryana and Rajasthan, thereby withdrawing the case filed by the Akali ministry in the Supreme Court. The Prime Minister was aware that the Punjab Reorganisation Act could not stand judicial scrutiny. Hence the judicial channel to resolve the water issue was studiously closed.

The problem has been compounded due to the failure of the government to find a solution to the river water issue as per constitutional, national and international norms. The much publicised Rajiv-Longowal accord, which generated a lot of euphoria in the media, was a retrogressive step. The only outcome of the accord was the digging of the SYL canal against which the Akali Dal had led a full-scale agitation. The handling of the issue by the Centre and the successive governments of Punjab has not been in a spirit of sincerity and statesmanship. It has always been politically motivated. All parties in Punjab, be it the Congress or the Akali Dal, have used the issue for electoral gains. The story presents a sordid tale of political trickery, discriminatory policies, deceptive accords, murky intrigues, confrontation, morchas and bloodshed.

The recent announcement of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to file a review petition in the Supreme Court is a mere eyewash. It is a face saving device. The Badal government has had a full five-year term when it could chalk out a clear plan of action to resolve the pending issues. But this term was characterised by inaptitude, corruption, poor performance, dwindling standards of political behaviour, lack of accountability and reluctance to address vital political issues. As a result, political stalemate in Punjab has continued as before.

Farm operations for February

— Vaccinate all the animals against FMD and repeat it after six months or yearly as required.

— Protect your animals from cold weather.

—Cracks/sore/chapped/injured teat should be treated with teat dips (glycerine: povidone iodine 1: 8). It should be used after every milking.

— New-born calves need special care in cold weather. They are susceptible to pneumonia and a large number of them die due to this disease. Keep them warm by providing clean and dry bedding. Give them vitamin ‘A’ concentrate 1 ml daily in milk for three days to be repeated after a month.

— Deworming should be done in calves, especially against ascariasis/malap with piperazine liquid @ 4 ml 1 kg body weight.

— Vaccinate the female calves at 5 to 6 months of age against brucillosis (abortion).

— Get your animals examined after three months of mating/artificial insemination for pregnancy diagnosis.

— Do not feed green, sprouted, soiled or rotten potatoes to dairy animals. These can cause serious and fatal poisoning.

— This is the best time for broiler raising. Plan your replacement of egg type chicks well in advance for booking with a hatchery of repute.

— Purchase the day-old chicks vaccinated against Marek’s disease from reputed hatchery. Clean and disinfect the poultry sheds before putting the chicks.

— Provide proper temperature under the brooder i.e. 95°F in the first week and reduce it with 5°F every week up to 70°F. Switch on the brooder 24 hours before arrival of chicks. Provide balanced feed and fresh water.

— In the end of February, excavate the new pond or dry up the old pond (at least after 4 to 5 years after total harvesting) and refill it for the next culture cycle.

— Apply organic manure (20 q of FYM or 10 q of poultry droppings or 18 q of a mixture of FYM (three parts) and poultry droppings (one part), and inorganic fertilizers (2.4 q single super phosphate and 40 kg of urea) per acre of newly excavated pond or in ponds which have been dried up and refilled for the next culture cycle.

— Resume organic manuring 120 kg/acre/week of FYM or 60 kg/acre/week of poultry drop pings or 112 kg/acre/week of mixture of FYM (three parts) and poultry droppings (one part) and inorganic fertilizer (16 kg/acre/week of single super phosphate) in old ponds in which these were suspended during winter.