Patna,(BiharTimes): The Union government has given the Manjhi government an ultimatum to lift the foodgrains allotted to Bihar for public distribution by August 31.

In a letter written to Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan criticised the Bihar government for not lifting its quota.

It said there are “serious deficiencies” in the action plan presented by the state government for lifting foodgrains of about 700,000 tonnes meant for public distribution system (PDS).

The Union minister’s letter said that keeping in view administrative difficulties faced by Bihar a decision was earlier taken that the state government would lift the foodgrains from railways and the state was supposed to present a clear action plan in this regard.

According to the letter the action plan submitted by the Bihar government on July 7 has once again left the responsibility of lifting the foodgrains from railway racks to FCI. This was contrary to the earlier decision taken in a meeting between Ram Vilas and the chief minister on June 27 in which the state government had taken the responsibility to lift the foodgrains directly from the Railways.