About 30% of the rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS) intended for Priority Households (PHH), RSKY and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries was diverted to the open market, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which is investigating the West Bengal ration scam has said in a press statement.
According to the investigating agency, the proceeds of crime generated from diverting PDS were shared between the millers and the PDS distributors. The ED on October 27 arrested West Bengal Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick in a case related to fake paddy procurement and siphoning of PDS ration to open market. Mr. Mallick who was Minister in the Food and Supplies Department from 2011-21 will remain in ED custody till November 12.
The ED statement added that the millers opened fake farmers bank accounts in connivance with other persons including some cooperative societies and pocketed the MSP, which was intended for paddy farmers.
