Shimla: BJP State Vice President and Member of Parliament Shri Rajeev Bhardwaj today paid a courtesy visit to the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, in New Delhi. On this occasion, Shri Bhardwaj extended heartfelt birthday greetings and best wishes to Shri Nadda and prayed for his good health, long life, and continued service to the nation.
During the meeting, MP Rajeev Bhardwaj said, “The leadership of Shri Nadda Ji, his dedication to the organization, and his exceptional contribution towards strengthening the country’s health system are truly unparalleled. Under his guidance, BJP continues to work relentlessly for public welfare. His experience and visionary approach are a great source of inspiration for all party workers.” Organizational matters, Central Government welfare schemes, and issues related to the overall development of Himachal Pradesh were also discussed in detail.
Meanwhile, MP Rajeev Bhardwaj expressed grave concern over the massive irregularities exposed in the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Himachal Pradesh. Referring to the verification list sent by the Central Government, he said that large-scale discrepancies had been continuing in the state for several years. According to the list, a total of 5,71,625 beneficiaries have been placed under the category of suspected beneficiaries, who allegedly availed subsidized and free ration despite being ineligible.
He further informed that the verification revealed 400 cases of duplicate ration cards, 2,222 beneficiaries who had passed away but were still receiving ration, and 2,918 individuals who own vehicles yet continued to avail benefits under NFSA. Additionally, nearly 53 lakh beneficiaries have been kept under the re-verification process to determine their actual eligibility.
MP Bhardwaj stated that this is not merely a case of administrative negligence but a complete failure of the system. He explained that the ration distribution mechanism functions at three levels—panchayat level, depot level, and departmental level. Had honest verification been conducted periodically, such a massive irregularity would never have occurred. He said that the ineligible beneficiaries continued to receive ration for years, which is a direct injustice to the poor and a blatant misuse of taxpayers’ money.
Supporting the stand taken by BJP MP Shri Anurag Thakur, Shri Bhardwaj said that the matter is extremely serious and merely cancelling the ration cards is not enough. Strict action must also be taken against the officials and employees under whose supervision these irregularities continued for years. He alleged that the commission-based system played a major role in sustaining this scam, due to which the problem remained hidden for a long time.
MP Rajeev Bhardwaj demanded a fair and impartial investigation into the entire matter, exemplary punishment for the guilty, and complete transparency in the ration distribution mechanism to prevent such incidents in the future.
He further said that this scheme runs on the hard-earned tax money of the people of Himachal and is meant for the welfare of the poor, not to promote corruption. The BJP will keep strict vigilance on this issue and will continue to fight until the culprits are exposed and punished.