Karnataka Food Commission chief recommends action against 4 personnel, fair price shop for irregularities

Four personnel, including two hostel wardens, and the owner of a fair price shop face disciplinary action following uncovering of irregularities during a visit by Karnataka State Food Commission Chairperson H. Krishna to Chamarajanagar district.

Over three days, Mr. Krishna inspected schools, anganwadis, fair price shops, hostels, hospitals, and Raitha Samparka Kendras across the district.

Speaking to reporters on February 4, he said he recommended action against four personnel, prompting senior officials in the relevant departments to initiate proceedings.

The personnel — wardens of one hostel under the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department and another hostel under Social Welfare Department, besides a government school mid-day meal scheme staff, and an anganwadi worker — have all been placed on compulsory leave.

The lapses included discrepancies in food stock records and improper maintenance of registers.

Operations at a fair price shop in Mallayyanapura were suspended after an inspection revealed short-weight rations for beneficiaries and delay in distribution despite biometric authentication. Alternate arrangements have been made at the nearby Galipura shop to avoid disruption in service.

Mr. Krishna stressed that hostels under Social Welfare, Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Backward Classes, and Minority Welfare departments must prioritize cleanliness, nutritious meals as per prescribed menu, accurate stock records, and hygiene.

Inspection of fair price shop uncovered under-quantity distribution; officials were directed to eliminate such discrepancies. At taluk offices, Aadhaar-linking delay in service delivery were noted, with instructions issued to tahsildars for immediate resolution.

Public complaints surfaced during visits to hospitals. Mr. Krishna directed authorities to ensure adequate medical facilities, in-house medicine availability, and to avoid prescriptions for external purchase.

Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner Shreeroopa, Zilla Panchayat CEO Mona Roat, Food Commission members Lingaraju Kote, Sumanth Rao, K.S. Vijayalakshmi, A. Rohinipriya, and Maruthi Doddanavar, plus Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Vasundhara Hege were among the officials present at the media briefing.