Margao/Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday refuted allegations that ‘plastic’ rice was being supplied through fair price shops.
“That’s false propaganda. There can be no plastic rice,” Sawant said speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function. “It would be costlier to prepare plastic rice than produce real rice,” he said.
The chief minister said that what was referred to as plastic rice was actually “fortified rice” that is approved by the Food Corporation of India and supplied through the public distribution system.
There is no such thing called plastic rice, agriculture minister Ravi Naik also said on Tuesday. His statement comes a day after the Benaulim MLA, AAP’s Venzy Viegas, alleged that adulterated rice is being supplied to fair price shops.
“Does anyone ever eat plastic?” Naik said. “We have ordered an inquiry into the matter to dispel people’s fears. In case there is any truth in this allegation, we will suspend the officers involved. There is no plastic. If there is, I want them to show me.”
Naik said that all civil supplies officers have been directed to be on the field instead of the office and to regularly carry out inspections and quality checks of the grains.
The secretary, civil supplies, Sanjit Rodrigues also addressed the issue calling it a “misinformation campaign” and requested people not to give credence to it so that apprehensions are not created in the minds of the customer.
“The initial test of the rice has been done and we will...
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