-PTI
The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to put in place proper vigilance mechanism to track corruption and leakage of foodgrains in public distribution system.
A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur asked the government to file its reply how it intends to check the continuing ills in the implementation of PDS. It said that it will pass order if the government fails to put in place vigilance mechanism.
"If you do not do then we are left with no option but to pass order. We would be compelled to say that government officials are not concerned with PDS and have no time for it," the bench said.
It asked the Centre to file its response on this issue on Monday when it will further hear the case.
The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) complaining about largescale corruption and irregularities in the PDS mechanism.
The apex court had earlier said all states should emulate the PDS model adopted by Tamil Nadu which has been supplying rice at Rs 1 per kg and subsidised fortified atta and pulses to BPL families without much hassle and complaints of pilferage and misappropriation.
The apex court had appointed a committee headed by Justice D P Wadhwa to examine the working of PDS. The committee has submitted reports from time to time before the apex court.
It had directed the Centre to allocate additional five million tonnes of foodgrains to the 150 poorest districts under the supervision of a committee appointed by it.
Earlier, the bench had expressed anguish over continuing ills in the implementation of public distribution system despite being monitored by it for 11 years during which 22 reports were filed.
The apex court had said the poor continue to suffer and it was time to wind up the matter pending before it by passing directions to the Centre for effective implementation of the PDS system.