VACB’s sting operation uncovers widespread illegal diversion of food grains from NFSA godowns, ration shops in Kerala

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.

First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.

Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.

Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers

Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there

The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.

‘Operation Food Security’ targeted 14 NFSA godowns and 54 ration shops across Kerala. Vigilance sleuths uncovered a large-scale diversion of subsidised food grains and other staples for black-market purposes. | Photo Credit: special arrangement

In a State-wide sting operation, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in Kerala detected large-scale illegal diversion of subsidised food grains earmarked for an estimated 95.7 lakh ration card holders from varying economic and social backgrounds.

As part of the undercover operation titled Operation Food Safety, anti-corruption sleuths set up staged scenarios, posing as black marketeers seeking to purchase subsidised food grains from randomly chosen National Food Security Act (NFSA) warehouses and ration shops at at prices significantly below market rates, to build an entrapment case to expose the entrenched corruption that has cut heavily into public finances.

(The State government spends an estimated ₹2,400 crore annually for food security and price control of essential commodities, including ₹100 crore for ration distribution, dealer commissions and doorstep delivery charges for senior and differently abled citizens.)

A senior investigator told The Hindu that field intelligence and preliminary surveys by various government agencies had indicated that an estimated 30% of government-subsidised grains and food staples failed to reach the intended beneficiaries and were siphoned off by a mafia involving ration shop licensees, warehouse managers, transport contractors and errant Civil Supplies Department officials for blackmarket transactions, resulting in staggering losses amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees to the public exchequer.

Investigators said they found that officials diverted a significant amount of subsidised food grains to poultry farmers and the hotel industry after accepting sizeable backhanders. In Thiruvananthapuram, the VACB found digital evidence of a ration dealer receiving regular payments amounting