Latest news with #PDS
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
56 people detained under Goondas Act for PDS rice smuggling in Tamil Nadu, says IG
Inspector General of Police (IG) for Civil Supplies CID (CS-CID), Rubesh Kumar Meena, said that in the past five months, 56 people, who were arrested for Public Distribution System (PDS) rice smuggling, were detained under the provisions of the Goondas Act in the State. The IG inspected the CS-CID office at Keerambur in Namakkal district on Saturday. Later, Mr. Rubesh told reporters that to prevent crimes related to civil supplies, inspections were being carried out in four zones in the State. Already, inspections had been carried out in Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, and Karur districts. In the past five months, 878 metric tonnes of PDS rice worth ₹1.06 crore were seized from smugglers. A total of 5,120 cases were registered and 4,608 people were arrested. From the offenders, 1,099 vehicles, including 434 four-wheelers, were seized. As PDS rice was smuggled across inter-State borders, monitoring increased in the border districts near Kerala and Karnataka. Stern action would be taken if PDS rice was used for feeding chickens in poultry farms, the IG warned.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Illegal ration rice trade rampant in Kurnool, CPI raise concerns
Pathikonda: Illegal transportation and black-marketing of ration rice have emerged as a serious concern in Pathikonda mandal of Kurnool district. Despite the government's well-intentioned efforts to ensure food security for the underprivileged through the Public Distribution System (PDS), a network of ration dealers and traders is reportedly diverting the subsidised rice for commercial gain. According to reliable sources, several ration dealers are indulging in manipulative practices including under-weighing and misreporting to create surplus stocks. Additionally, rice is being collected from some beneficiaries who sell their quota due to financial distress or lack of awareness. This rice is then supplied illegally to local rice mills and grocery stores, feeding a parallel black-market economy. As the nexus between ration dealers, traders, and millers grows stronger, genuine beneficiaries are left in the lurch. The State government has mandated that each beneficiary family should receive ration supplies for at least 15 days per month. However, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. In several villages of Pathikonda and Devanakonda mandals, residents report that they are either receiving reduced quantities or are being told that stock is unavailable. Local officials, especially in Devanakonda, are being accused of conducting superficial inspections and turning a blind eye to the malpractice. 'Their checks appear more like a formality than a serious attempt to enforce the law,' allege residents. Raising his voice against this growing menace, CPI District Committee Member M Narasa Rao has strongly condemned the failure of the local administration to curb the illegal trade. Speaking to the media, he said, 'It is deeply unfortunate that the rice intended for the poor is being diverted to the open market. The ration system was introduced to protect the food rights of economically weaker sections, but today it has become a profitable business for a few corrupt individuals.' He further added, 'We have received several complaints from people across villages in Pathikonda and Devanakonda mandals. They are either being denied their rightful ration or being pressured to sell it. This is a violation of their basic rights and an insult to the government's welfare policies.' 'Those found guilty, including dealers and traders involved in this illegal racket, must face strict legal consequences. The government should implement a robust monitoring mechanism and involve local communities and party representatives in vigilance efforts,' he emphasized. 'This rice is meant for your families. Selling it might give short-term money, but it only strengthens this illegal network and weakens the system meant to support you,' he appealed. With public outrage growing, the onus is now on the district authorities to restore faith in the ration distribution system and ensure that essential commodities reach the intended beneficiaries without leakage, corruption, or delay.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Elderly must get supplies in last week of every month: Min Nadendla Manohar
Vijayawada: Civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar directed the civil supplies department officials to take steps to distribute essential commodities to elderly people aged above 65 years and differently-abled BPL cardholders at their doorsteps between 25th and 30th of every month. This distribution should occur before the start of essential commodities distribution under the PDS system for the ensuing month in the state. He asked the ration dealers to take the initiative to door deliver essential commodities to the elderly and differently-abled beneficiaries living in agency, tribal, and hilly regions. On Friday, Manohar held a meeting with the ration dealers' representatives at the Civil Supplies Bhavan in Vijayawada. Addressing the ration dealers on the occasion, the civil supplies minister said that it was a record of sorts that govt achieved 89.6% essential commodities distribution within 15 days of the commencement of the PDS distribution on June 1 in the state. He said that the essential commodities were distributed to a total of 1.3 crore cardholders out of 1.5 crore cardholders in the state. Manohar further pointed out that govt successfully door delivered the essential commodities to 13.1 lakh elderly and differently-abled cardholders, achieving an 83% delivery rate in the first 15 days of the month.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
UPSC CSE Result: How will Pratibha Setu help not-recommended candidates shine beyond UPSC?
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recently introduced the Pratibha Setu feature, aimed at opening up new opportunities for civil services aspirants who reach the final interview stage but do not make it to the final merit list. UPSC CSE Results 2024: Women ahead in civil services exam; know toppers The initiative, launched as part of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2023 result process, enables verified employers — ranging from government ministries and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to autonomous bodies and private organisations — to access the profiles of such non-recommended yet qualified candidates. The initiative is designed to facilitate alternate career pathways by connecting these aspirants with organisations seeking top-tier talent. While Pratibha Setu may appear new, it is a rebranded and upgraded version of the Public Disclosure Scheme (PDS), which has been in operation since August 2018. The scheme was originally launched following a decision by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), under which UPSC began publicly sharing the biodata of non-recommended but willing candidates. These were individuals who had cleared the written stages and appeared for the personality test in various UPSC examinations but were not recommended in the final selection. The earliest such disclosure under the PDS was done for the Combined Medical Services Examination 2017. UPSC Civil Services 2024: How much topper Shakti Dubey score? Comparison with last year's rankers Over time, the scheme expanded to include candidates from multiple examinations such as the Civil Services, Indian Forest Service, Engineering Services, Central Armed Police Forces (ACs), Combined Geo-Scientist, CDS, IES/ISS, and Combined Medical Services Examinations. Pratibha Setu serves as a structured digital platform through which over 10,000 non-recommended candidates, who have successfully cleared all stages of the UPSC examinations but did not secure a final spot, can be considered for other professional opportunities. These individuals represent a pool of highly skilled, rigorously tested talent who have already demonstrated competence across UPSC's demanding selection stages. To facilitate this, the Commission now provides Login IDs to registered organisations which can be government or private, enabling them to access the talent pool for potential hiring. Private companies can register themselves using their Corporate Identification Number (CIN), which is verified via the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal. The new portal includes a simplified dashboard with features such as wish-listing, shortlisting, and a selection/rejection interface, allowing employers to navigate the process seamlessly. Each candidate's biodata, including educational background and contact information, is made available in soft copy format to help in the selection process. The transformation of PDS into Pratibha Setu makes the platform more accessible and tech-enabled. It aims to build a 'bridge for hiring aspirants', as its name suggests—Professional Resource And Talent Integration – Bridge for Hiring Aspirants. UPSC CSE 2024 Toppers: After failing in his first attempt, Delhi's Aakash Garg gets AIR 5 The portal is being showcased as a first-of-its-kind initiative that allows various organisations to tap into the exceptional talent emerging from India's most competitive examinations. In doing so, Pratibha Setu not only offers a second gateway for UPSC aspirants but also helps ensure that their years of preparation and demonstrated capabilities do not go unnoticed. It is important to note that some examinations are excluded from this scheme. These include the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA and NA) Examination and Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCEs) such as CBI(DSP) LDCE, CISF AC(EXE) LDCE, and S.O./Steno (GE-B/GD-I) LDCE.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
UPSC launches 'Pratibha Setu' to connect top exam qualifiers with government and private employers
NEW DELHI: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched a strategic initiative that allows verified employers, including central government and private organisations, to connect with top talent from India's most competitive examinations, officials said on Thursday. UPSC's 'Pratibha Setu', which was earlier known as Public Disclosure Scheme (PDS), provides access to the details of non-recommended willing candidates who cleared all stages of exams conducted by it but didn't make it to the final merit list, they said. This provides a platform for employers to select non-recommended willing candidates who are almost as meritorious as the recommended candidates, while providing a second gateway for the UPSC aspirants to shine beyond the examination, the commission said in an official note. Earlier, the list of non-recommended willing candidates of the selected examinations -- candidates who qualify the written examinations but are not recommended after the interview -- was released under the Public Disclosure Scheme on its website. Now, the commission provides login IDs to the organisation for the voluntary selection/recruitment of non-recommended candidates. Further, the private organisations can also register through their own using the commission's portal, it said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like USDJPY đang đi lên không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Under this initiative, a soft biodata of the candidates, including their educational qualifications and contact details, will also be accessible. The resource carries a data bank of more than 10,000 willing candidates who cleared all stages of the UPSC exams but did not make it to the final merit list, according to the UPSC. Lakhs of students apply for different government job recruitment examinations conducted by the commission. The public disclosure scheme has been in force since August 20, 2018. The commission first used this scheme to disclose the list of candidates for the Combined Medical Services Examination, 2017. However, the PDS has now been renamed as UPSC 'Pratibha Setu'. Non-recommended willing candidates of civil services examination, and the examinations for the Indian Forest Service, Central Armed Police Forces, Engineering Services, Combined Geo-Scientist, Combined Defence Services, Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service examination and Combined Medical Services are included in the scheme, the UPSC said. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
