"Corrupt" public distribution system, says Supreme Court panel

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed vigilance committee has slammed the public distribution system (PDS) in the country for "rampant corruption, black marketing and diversion involving a vicious cartel of bureaucrats, fair price shop owners and middlemen".

The central vigilance committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice D P Wadhwa in its report to the apex court said the Rs 28,000-crore subsidy annually spent by the Centre was being pocketed by vested interest and suggested drastic action to stem the rot.

"Corruption is all pervasive in the entire chain involved in PDS. It continues to remain a formidable problem. It is true that most of the functionaries under them in the department are typically callous and resort to corrupt practices.

"It (corruption) is in fact a cancerous growth and has to be chopped off. Patchwork methods will not do. Central Government gives a whooping sum of Rs 28,000 crore to subsidise food for the poor. But till the recommendations given by the committee are put in place, the poor will go on suffering at the hands of corrupt officials, dishonest FPS owners, transporters and possibly to a large extent by unscrupulous millers as well," the report said.

The committee recommended breaking the strong nexus between the forces by setting up an effective vigilant mechanism but did not elaborate.

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A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K S Radhakrishnan took on record the report for passing appropriate orders.