NEW DELHI: Food Corporation of India (FCI) has tightened safeguards for the lifting and use of subsidised rice supplied to distilleries under govt’s ethanol blending programme, making distilleries directly accountable for any diversion or misuse of the released grain. In case of misuse or diversion, FCI will file criminal cases.The move is aimed at preventing diversion of subsidised foodgrain and strengthening oversight of the ethanol supply chain.In its revised “operational guidelines” circulated to all field officers, FCI said before the rice is released, the depot manager will obtain a written undertaking from the authorised representative of the distillery stating that it will be solely responsible for the proper utilisation of the subsidised rice after it leaves FCI depots.“In case any other use/ misuse of the rice other than specifically indicated in the instant release order, is found on the part of the distillery, or comes to the notice/ knowledge of FCI through any source, at any stage, during or after the execution of the process/ transaction, FCI reserves the right to take appropriate action including criminal action against the party/ agency,” the guidelines said.It said for getting the allocated subsidised rice for ethanol production, an authorised representative of a distillery must approach the designated FCI depot as mentioned in the release order and furnish details of the vehicles, including their registration numbers, and the destination godowns where the rice will be transported. Depot managers and quality control officials have been directed to ensure that stocks are issued strictly on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis and only to the authorised representative of the distillery.