‘Ensure PDS continues without segregation of beneficiaries’

The move endangers the system, says O. Panneerselvam

AIADMK co-ordinator O. Panneerselvam on Saturday said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin must ensure that the universal public distribution system (PDS) is continued in the State. The process of segregating beneficiaries based on income levels must be stopped, he said.

He said the DMK Government had sought information from the Income Tax (I-T) Department on the income levels and Aadhaar details of ration cardholders in the State, and this could endanger PDS. There were news reports about officials saying that the purpose of seeking information from the I-T Department was to request the affluent, availing ration from fair price shops, to give up the benefits, on the lines of the subsidy for cooking gas cylinders that was voluntarily given up by a large number of people. This was to prevent malpractices at the shops, he said.

When people surrendered their subsidies for cooking gas, the Union Government had only put out a request to the affluent people. It did not make the request based on information from the I-T Department.