Despite adequate food production at the national level, inefficiencies in Tamil Nadu’s state-run supply chain have resulted in the wastage of 1,538 tonnes of rice, raising questions over accountability in the DMK government’s administration. Reports indicate that the lackadaisical approach of government officials has led to large stockpiles of rice and other foodgrains rotting in storage.
This shocking lapse was discovered during an inspection by the Tamil Nadu State Assembly Committee on Public Undertakings at the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) godown in Pillayarpatti, Thanjavur. It is learnt that these stocks were meant for despatch to Public Distribution System (PDS) outlets across the state.
The committee, led by Anaicut MLA A.P. Nandakumar, visited the godown on 21 August and found rice stocks unfit for human consumption. When questioned, officials present admitted that the grains had been stored there since 2022. The panel expressed concern over the rationale for storing such huge quantities despite their deterioration. District Magistrate Priyanka Pankajam was also present during the inspection.
Later, speaking to the media, Mr Nandakumar said that officials failed to provide a proper and convincing response to the panel’s questions, particularly quality control officer Arun and Senior Zonal Manager Selvam. He added that they would be asked to explain why rice was allowed to remain in storage for three years and warned that fitting action would be taken against those responsible.
“When the government is keen on distributing good-quality rice to people through fair price shops, the callous attitude of officials has resulted in large quantities of foodgrains going to waste,” Mr Nandakumar said. He further stated that as the rice was no longer suitable for human consumption, steps would be taken to divert it for cattle feed.
The panel also instructed officials to initiate proceedings against those responsible for stocking poor-quality rice. It was revealed that rice consignments from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had already been returned with a note stating that they were unfit for human use. The committee questioned why these were not sent to rice mills for polishing and cleaning to remove impurities, including small clay balls and stones. It demanded full details from the officials concerned, warning that failure to comply would result in suspension.
The panel further criticised officials for failing to distribute the rice through the fair price system upon receiving it, instead leaving it to deteriorate in godowns. It asked: “Why was the quality of the rice stock allowed to deteriorate?”
Later, the panel visited the godown at Neelagiri, where it inspected basic amenities, including toilet facilities, and found them poorly maintained. Officials were pulled up for the lapses and lack of upkeep.
A study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), released last November, highlighted significant leakages in Tamil Nadu’s PDS. The report estimated losses of Rs 1,900 crore during 2022–23, noting that 5.2 lakh tonnes of rice 15.8% of the total supplied quantity was lost during distribution. This quantity, the study said, could have fed approximately 21.67 lakh families for a month, based on the state’s practice of providing 20 kg of rice per family. The lost rice is believed to have been diverted to the open market.
The report further observed that 28% of grains supplied through India’s PDS never reach their intended beneficiaries, with the economic loss to the exchequer estimated at over Rs 69,000 crore annually.
Ashok Gulati, Infosys Chair Professor at ICRIER and one of the authors of the policy brief, along with Raya Das and Ranjana Roy, stated that the analysis showed around 20 million tonnes of rice and wheat, meant to feed 814 million people under government programmes, were either diverted to the open market or exported. The study was based on data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) and the FCI’s monthly off-take figures from August 2022 to July 2023.
Critics argue that when the country is producing enough food to feed its citizens, the callous attitude of Tamil Nadu government officials in allowing stock to become unfit for consumption is highly condemnable. They deserve to be punished, and the cost should be recovered from their salaries as a lesson to others. It is also necessary to investigate the possible connivance of other officials behind this lapse.
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