West Bengal’s new Food Minister Ashok Kirtania has announced a major overhaul of the state’s ration distribution system, beginning with the decision to stop supplying flour through ration shops. Declaring a “zero tolerance” policy against corruption and substandard food distribution, the minister said consumers will now receive better-quality wheat instead of low-grade flour, as the government moves to clean up the food supply network.
The announcement came just days after Kirtania took charge of the Food and Supplies Department following the recent administrative reshuffle in the state. Speaking after taking oath as an MLA on Wednesday, the minister made it clear that his priority is to eliminate institutional corruption and restore public confidence in the ration system.
According to the minister, the department will distribute only the flour currently available in government stockpiles. No fresh procurement of flour will be made in the future. Instead, ration beneficiaries will receive higher-quality wheat directly.
Kirtania said the decision was taken to protect public health and improve the quality of food supplied through the Public Distribution System (PDS). He alleged that poor-quality flour had become a major concern in several districts.
In a strongly worded warning to officials and traders, the minister said corruption within the Food Department would no longer be tolerated under any circumstances.
“Not even one rupee of corruption will be accepted. Anyone who believes they can buy influence with money will make the biggest mistake of their life,” he said.
The minister also announced strict action against ration dealers found distributing inferior-quality rice. From June onward, if complaints regarding poor-quality rice are proven true, the government will directly cancel the ration shop’s licence and seal the premises, he warned.
Alongside the anti-corruption drive, the state government is preparing to tighten verification of beneficiary identities to prevent misuse of welfare schemes.
Kirtania stressed that only individuals with valid proof of Indian citizenship would be eligible to receive ration benefits and other government services. Officials believe the move is aimed at identifying and cancelling fake or duplicate ration cards.
The new Food Minister has also reopened scrutiny into allegations of financial irregularities during the tenure of the previous administration. He said all pending complaints against former officials and ministers would be thoroughly investigated and nobody found guilty would be spared.
Sources in the administration said Kirtania has already given senior department officials a one-week deadline to begin corrective measures and identify loopholes in the existing system.
Political observers believe the aggressive reforms and anti-corruption messaging are intended to rebuild public trust in Bengal’s ration distribution network, which has faced repeated allegations of irregularities in recent years.
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