In Madhya Pradesh, millions of tons of wheat stored in government warehouses have gone bad. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has declared this wheat unfit and refused to accept it. The government says it will take action against those responsible, but the big question remains: Was this spoiled wheat going to be given to the poor as part of their ration?

Back in September 2020, NDTV revealed that the free rice given to the poor in Madhya Pradesh was so bad that even sheep and goats wouldn’t eat it. After this report, the Prime Minister’s Office asked the state government for a detailed explanation.

No Improvement in Four Years?

Despite the uproar, nothing seems to have changed in four years. In Ashoknagar, 2,600 tons of wheat purchased between 2018 and 2021 was sent from Jabalpur. However, the quality of this wheat is extremely poor—so bad that it could again be reported as unfit even for animals. The officials acknowledge this, but their statements are vague. Uday Singh Chauhan, the warehouse manager, admitted that the wheat had arrived three months ago and that its quality had deteriorated. He blamed the old, worn-out sacks and said that payments would be made later.

The FCI has written a letter stating that 10.64 lakh tons of wheat is unfit. Out of this, 6.38 lakh tons could be lifted, but only after it is upgraded. However, 4.26 lakh metric tons of wheat is not even fit for transportation. The breakdown is as follows: 1.57 lakh metric tons from 2020-21, 3.85 lakh metric tons from 2021-22, 1.12 lakh metric tons from 2022-23, and 4.09 lakh metric tons from 2023-24 are all unfit.

Govind Singh Rajput, the Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection, stated that they had received complaints about the spoiled wheat. He said that an investigation would be conducted to find out who is responsible, whether it’s the officials or the warehouse owners, and strict action would be taken.

In Madhya Pradesh, 5.37 crore families receive free food grains under the National Food Security Act. Families under the Antyodaya scheme get 35 kg of food grains, and priority families receive 5 kg per member. Additionally, 80.50 lakh tribal families in 33 districts receive double-fortified salt at a rate of ₹1 per kg. Under the One Nation One Ration Card scheme, all eligible families can collect their ration from any of the 26,779 fair-price shops in the state or from any other state.