Agartala: Amid controversy over the distribution of the most essential food ingredients in a reusable canvas bag through the public distribution system (PDS) across the state during the ensuing Sharad festival, the opposition CPM on Saturday demanded an inquiry into the purchase of 9.70 lakh canvas bags by the Food Department.
CPM State Secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury alleged that since the formation of the BJP government in Tripura, the ministers and leaders have continued their fake promises and confused the state people through their false statements.
Mentioning in the recent statements made by Food and Civil Supply Minister Sushanta Chowdhury over the distribution of a gift hamper containing one litre of mustard oil, one kg lentil, 2 kg flour, 1 kg sugar, 500-gram atta, Chaudhury said the minister himself gave a statement before the media that items will be distributed free of cost in a canvas bag to all ration card holders.
Now the minister has changed the statement, saying PDS items are being sold at subsidized prices from all ration shops in the free canvas bag, he alleged.
Chaudhury said the government spent Rs 6.5 crore for the procurement of 9.70 lakh canvas bags at a cost of Rs 68 each, but in reality, the poor quality bag will not have a price of less than Rs 20 and alleged, “It’s a big scam, and the present government in the name of gift hamper bags is looting the public money, which needs independent inquiry.”
He also strongly criticised the Food and Civil Supply Minister and stated that the minister through his false statement only tried to tarnish the previous Left Front government and said, “It’s true that LF government did not distribute mustard oil and lentils through ration shops, but directly transferred amount of one kg lentil and one-litre mustard oil to all consumers of the state by direct bank transfer (DBT) four time in a year.’
Refuting the charges of CPM, Minister Chowdhury said CPM is spreading false narratives to distract the people and defame the state government and claimed, “The government is only distributing the canvas bag free of cost and other PDS items at subsidized prices. But CPM leaders suitably modified my statement and attempted to confuse the people.”
