Kiran Bedi's 'no toilet, no rice' diktat sparks uproar, shelved hours later
29 April 2018 5:18 AM IST
Puducherry: The territorial government's free rice scheme would be operated in rural areas only after local MLAs and commune panchayat commissioners certify that the hamlets are open defecation free and garbage free by May 31, Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi said on Saturday. Bedi stated this in a WhatsApp message to mediapersons after her weekend visits to some villages, where she expressed dissatisfaction over the 'slow pace' of implementation of the rural sanitation programme.
"Distribution of free rice to the villagers should be conditional to the certification of the village being open defecation free and free of strewn garbage and plastics," she said. A joint certification given by the local MLA and the Commune panchayat commissioner should be submitted to the Civil Supplies Commissioner, the former IPS officer said, adding that the scheme would be kept on hold till then.
She gave a May 31 deadline to the authorities to ensure the hamlets are made open defecation free and garbage free. Under the free rice scheme, families coming under below poverty line are entitled to get 20 kg rice every month while those with yellow cards in the Above Poverty line category are entitled for 10 kg rice.
Her order however drew flak from AIADMK legislature wing leader A Anbalagan, who told reporters that Bedi was treading the path of 'autocracy' by issuing such directives.
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