THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Public Distribution Department will close the 'shortcut' to the ration black market on Keralapiravi. As part of this, cameras will be installed in NFSA godowns that deliver rice from FCI godowns. GPS will be installed in vehicles transporting rice to ration shops. E-pos machine and electronic scales in the shops will be connected. A control room will be opened to monitor all three systems on the computer. The project, which will start early next month, is expected to be completed by October and implemented on November 1.

Smuggling routes will be closed

1. The smuggled rice and wheat will reach the intermediaries' godowns. From there it will reach private mills. This will stop after camera installation at the NFSA godowns

2. Some of the lorries carrying grain to the ration shops go to the intermediaries' bases. With the use of GPS, this will also stop.

3. The weight of rice is still inaccurate in many ration shops. By connecting the e-pos machine and the electronic scales, the weight will be accurate.

The scam

One load contains 206 sacks of grain. Six of these are substitutes for the total sack weight. These six bags of 50 kg each will be removed from the godown. Thus 300 kg of rice will be transported. In addition, three to five kilograms of rice will leak when each sack is hooked up. 600 kg of rice can be obtained from 200 sacks at the rate of 3 kg from each sack. Thus, 900 kg of rice (18 sacks) is taken from one load alone.

The intermediary will get Rs 15 per kg for rose matta rice and Rs 12 per kg for white rice. The market price of rose matta rice is Rs 38-40 per kg.