Food scenario remains grim in Bihar

GAYA - Harsh Mander, a former bureaucrat and who was appointed as the Special Commission for Food Security has expressed his serious concern at the prevailing scenario on the food front in Bihar.

As a part of a survey on food security, Mander has been interacting with the masses and hearing their grievances pertaining to the public distribution system here.

He was very critical of the government’s procurement and distribution arrangement of food items.

Voicing his concern at the alarming level of starvation, he said that there is a severe shortage of foodgrains, which is getting worsened by the ‘inaction’ of the Bihar government.

“It is clear that a large number of people are living with hunger. There are several anomalies in the public distribution system which show that the government is not carrying out its fundamental duties. It has come to our notice that people are unable to receive food grains for months here,” he added.

He also said that the Supreme Court might summon the State government and ask it to explain its position in tackling the food shortage.

“The kind of work that the State government needs to do is not taking place and there is no significant improvement in the condition of people. Since the Bihar government is not listening to the plight of the people as much as it should, we will have to raise our voice and will discuss this matter very seriously with senior officials and leaders,” he added.

Bihar is facing a severe shortage of food grains this year.

Corruption and malpractices in the public distribution system have aggravated the situation, due to which poor people have been unable to buy foodgrains at the subsidised rates. (ANI)