Ration Rice Smuggling in Andhra Pradesh: Government's Efforts to Control Illegal Trade

Ration rice smuggling has become a big issue in Andhra Pradesh. The government gives free rice to the poor, but it is being sold on the black market.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan raised concerns before the elections. He said that thousands of tons of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice are being shipped abroad through Kakinada Port.

The issue was discovered when a ship carrying ration rice was checked. In response, the government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by IPS officer Vineet Brijlal, to investigate the illegal trade.

How is Rice Smuggling Happening?

Before COVID, ration rice was sold for Rs. 1 per kg, but now it is given for free. The rice is processed and cleaned with new machines, but some people are selling it illegally.

Some people sell the rice to hotels for Rs. 15 to Rs. 18 per kg. Others sell it to street vendors for Rs. 18 to Rs. 20 per kg. These vendors sell it to middlemen who send it to rice mills or export it through Kakinada Port.

Efforts to Stop the Smuggling

The government plans to file cases against people who buy the free rice to sell it. They are also setting up more checkposts at Kakinada Port to stop smuggling.

The government is considering stopping the Mobile Dispensary Unit (MDU) system, which delivers rice to people. This will help stop the rice from being sold.

Quality of Ration Rice

Many people complain that the rice given to them is of poor quality. They say the new golden rice is not good. Leaders like Srinivasa Rao from the Andhra Pradesh Farmers’ Association believe that if better quality rice was given, people would not sell it.

Ration Cards and Beneficiaries

Andhra Pradesh has 1,48,43,671 ration cards and 4,31,81,370 beneficiaries. The government gives out 20,87,12,728 kg of rice every year. However, many beneficiaries do not use their ration rice, which causes the smuggling problem.

Ideas for Reform

Some people suggest removing ineligible people from the ration card list. This could help the government give better services to those who truly need it. Others suggest giving money directly to beneficiaries instead of rice to stop corruption and illegal sales. However, some believe this could harm farmers and raise rice prices in the market.

The government is still working on ways to stop ration rice smuggling and improve the system for the poor.