Bihar: Cooperators rise in revolt as PDS licences of PACS suspended

Cooperators from all the corners of Bihar have united against the Bihar government decision on suspending the Public distribution license of over 4,000 PACCS for three months.

They have warned, if the government fails to withdraw the action the PACCs will not do the wheat procurement.

In its order released on Monday, the government said they are focusing on increasing the wheat procurement target from 2 lakh metric tons to seven lakh metric tons in the current year and have directed PACCs to focus on procurement. The beneficiaries associated with them have been ordered to take their monthly quota from the nearby PDS shops.

Talking to Indian Cooperative, Biscomaun Chairman Sunil Kumar Singh said, “We strongly opposed the order of suspending the license of PDS of over 4,000 PACCs. For the past several years these PACCs have been carrying out distribution well but now the government has handed over the work to private vendors for their own interest”, he added.

He further said, “If the government fails to withdraw the decision then I will urge PACCs Chairmen not to do the work of procurement of wheat. We are also calling a press conference through video conferencing in this regard where several chairmen of DCCBs will participate”, he informed.

Meanwhile, he accused the officials of the food and supply department of Bihar of taking bribes from the private vendors for allotting the work of PDS to them.

Sharing his reaction in this regard, Bihar State Cooperative Union Chairman Vinay Shahi has also criticized the decision of the state government and said the decision taken by the government is not in the interest of the cooperative sector. This will weaken the cooperative movement of Bihar.

Shahi further added that the government has demolished the system after snatching the work of distribution from the PACCs. We will not sit silent and raise our voice in the interest of society”, he asserted.

However, Cooperative Minister Rana Randhir Singh, said, the decision has been taken for the purpose of accelerating the purchase of wheat. Both chief minister Nitish Kumar and the Food and Supply dept have favoured the decision.

There are over 8400 PACCs in the state but only 4000 PACCs have received the license of PDS. A few PACCs are not working due to financial crunch, late payment by SFC and several other reasons.