In a significant crackdown on the “ration mafia” and systemic grain theft, the Haryana Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department has officially ordered the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras in all ration depots state-wide. The move is designed to protect the rights of approximately 46 million beneficiaries who rely on the state’s 9,434 Fair Price Shops.
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Centralized Monitoring: Minister Rajesh Nagar confirmed that the CCTV systems will not just store data locally but will be linked to a central server. This allows senior officials in Chandigarh and district headquarters to conduct real-time surveillance of distribution activities, ensuring that depot holders do not siphon off essential commodities like wheat, sugar, and mustard oil.
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Tracking Operations: The cameras will cover key areas including the opening and closing of depots, stock unloading, and the actual transaction at the e-PoS (Electronic Point of Sale) machines. This is expected to deter depot holders from turning away beneficiaries or providing sub-standard grain.
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Strict SOPs: A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is currently being drafted to define the technical requirements for the cameras. In districts like Karnal and Faridabad, local officials have already begun identifying the 650+ depots per district that will be the first to receive these high-tech upgrades.
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Enhanced Accountability: Alongside CCTV monitoring, the Minister has warned that only one person per family can hold a depot license. Any instances of collusion or “ghost” depot licenses will result in immediate cancellation.
Impact on Beneficiaries: “This is a major win for the poor. With cameras watching, depot holders can no longer say the stock hasn’t arrived or the machine isn’t working,” said a resident from a local village in Karnal. The government spends roughly ₹89 crore on wheat and ₹95 crore on mustard oil every month, making transparency vital to the state treasury.
