Social audit of PDS throws up complaints from consumers The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has been extended to agricultural activities in the lands of small and marginal farmers, and farmers belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Castes as per a G.O. issued by the State government, according to Ajay Yadav, Collector of Vellore district. Participating in a Grama Sabha meeting held at the Karungali village panchayat in Anaicut panchayat union in connection with the Independence Day on Wednesday, Mr. Yadav said that the latest G.O. would address the problems of farmers who have been complaining about the problem of acute shortage of agricultural labour after the introduction of the MGNREGS on account of the agricultural labourers preferring to take up works under the employment guarantee scheme. Earlier when the public distribution system was subjected to social audit at the meeting, participants complained of difficulties in obtaining kerosene in the fair price shops. One of the participants said only those who went early were able to get kerosene while those who went later in the day or month did not get the commodity. Another participant said the card holders were told that they could buy only one commodity at a time in the fair price shops in Karungali panchayat. Besides, there were worms in the foodgrains supplied at the fair price shops, a participant said. Srinivasan, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency said the government spent Rs.10,000 on the construction of individual hygienic toilets in the rural houses under the Nirmal Bharat Abhyan (NBA). This comprised the central grant of Rs.3,200 (previously Rs.2,200), State grant of Rs.1,400 (Rs.1,000), beneficiary contribution of Rs.900 (Rs.300) and labour cost of Rs.4,500 which would be given in the form of labour under the MGNREGS. Under the scheme, piped water connection would be given on a priority basis to houses which have individual hygienic toilets. The water connection would be disconnected if the residents failed to use the toilet, he said. Mr. Srinivasan said the government was very particular about the implementation of the NBA not only to prevent open defecation but also to prevent the diseases which the rural people got on account of the infection transmitted by the faecal matter, which is a major health problem in the villages. Under NBA, not only persons below the poverty line, but also the categories of people identified as being above the poverty line such as small and marginal farmers, SC/ST residents, differently-abled persons and women-headed families were eligible for assistance, he said. M. Kalaiarasu, Anaicut MLA wanted the fair price shops and the public distribution system to be streamlined in order to ensure the livelihood of the poor people in the villages under the Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Movement that has been launched in six panchayat unions in Vellore district. Quality should be ensured in the green houses being constructed by the government for the poor people and the essential commodities supplied to them through PDS. Pointing out that public toilets were not maintained properly in the villages, he urged the beneficiaries to take interest in maintaining them properly since the assets belong to the public.