Did the rich steal rice meant for the poor in Telangana?

HYDERABAD: Have the financially well-off taken the Telangana government’s 12-kg free rice — meant for the poor — from fair price shops? Going by the quantity of rice distributed through the shops, sources in the government told TOI that many seem to have availed the offer.
Although the well-off may have taken the rice only to reactivate their white ration cards and not for the rice.The state government had started the exercise of deactivating white ration cards of those who are not in the income bracket about a fortnight ago. Many had not taken rice continuously for three months. Now, all card holders see this as an opportunity to be active card holders.
Enquiries revealed that there are lakhs of card holders who have not been taking subsidised rice given by the government through public distribution system (PDS) every month for the last couple of years. But they use the card mainly to avail free medical treatment at corporate hospitals under the state government’s Aarogyasri scheme.
Records of the civil supplies department show that 1.70 lakh metric tonne of rice has been distributed in just five days (as on April 5), which otherwise is the quota for one month. And yet, only 56% of the 87.55 lakh card holders have taken the subsidised rice so far.
Civil supplies commissioner P Satyanarayana Reddy confirmed to TOI that rice taken till Sunday was one month’s quota.
Government has sufficient stocks of rice
We have no time to look into the aspect of rich having availed the rice offer,” he said. “We are really busy ensuring every card holder gets rice. We may look into the aspect after the novel coronavirus issue is completely over.”.
But he did not rule out the possibility that the poor may have lined up before fair price shops in larger numbers to get the much needed ride in a short time. Reddy also said the government has sufficient stocks of rice which would be distributed to all card holders.
“There is no need to panic. Do not flock to the fair price shops. Go to the shop only during the time slot given to you,” he appealed to the people.
Till Monday evening, the quantity of rice given through public distribution system was 1.97 lakh metric tonne covering 49.85 lakh card holders.