PMK president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to take stringent measures to curb the rampant smuggling of ration rice distributed under the Public Distribution System (PDS). He alleged that the illegal diversion of rice has caused a massive loss of Rs 1,900 crore to the State exchequer in the financial year 2022-23.Citing a study conducted by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), Anbumani highlighted that smuggling of food grains across the country has resulted in a total loss of Rs 69,000 crore. “In Tamil Nadu alone, 5.2 lakh tonnes of rice, accounting for 15.80% of the total PDS rice released, did not reach beneficiaries. This missing rice is suspected to have been sold in outside markets or exported,” he stated.
The PMK chief alleged that such large-scale smuggling could not occur without the connivance of government officials. āLorries transporting rice to ration shops from storage facilities are fitted with GPS devices. It is impossible for such large quantities of rice to disappear without the involvement of higher officials,ā he said.
Anbumani pointed out that despite the magnitude of the issue, only 42,500 tonnes of smuggled rice, worth Rs 2.5 crore, were seized by the government during the same period.
The PMK leader recalled that the Tamil Nadu government had allocated Rs 7,500 crore for food subsidies in 2022-23, and alleged that one-fifth of this allocation failed to reach the intended beneficiaries due to smuggling. He urged the State to request a central investigation into the matter to identify and punish those involved in the racket.
“The government must act decisively to end this malpractice, which not only deprives citizens of their rightful share but also drains the State’s resources,” Anbumani asserted.
Anbumani emphasized that the loss of 5.2 lakh tonnes of ration rice directly impacts the economically weaker sections of society, who rely on PDS for their daily sustenance. He urged the government to ensure better monitoring mechanisms and accountability in the distribution process to prevent such incidents in the future.