The State Government may claim that public distribution system has been strengthened to provide food grains and kerosene oil to beneficiaries on time. But in reality, ration cardholders neither receive kerosene oil or food grains under PDS as per Government standard nor do they receive rations on particular date every month. The poor execution of PDS in the State may have direct impact in the forthcoming Panchayat and lok Sabha elections.
Daily wager Raipur resident Shakib said, “To procure kerosene oil and ration, I have to visit the PDS shop several times each month as Government has not fixed date for providing ration to the card holders.”
According to him, despite Government’s claim on improving PDS in the State, rations under the PDS are not provided to cardholders on time. “In the forthcoming polls, I will think twice before voting for any candidate,” he added.
Uttarakhand Fair Price Ration Shopkeepers Association (FPRSA) president Jitendra Gupta said that food and civil supply officer directs the PDS dealers to provide two litre kerosene oil to each card holder even through dealers receive one litre kerosene oil per cardholder from godown.
As per Government guidelines, if card holders have not procured gas connection from the agencies and are residing in the city, they will receive five litres kerosene oil under PDS while those living in the rural area will receive seven litres kerosene oil per month.
PDS dealers do not receive food items as per Government guidelines under PDS. Dealers do not receive ration on particular date each month. Dealers receive ration 40-50 days after the previous date of receipt under PDS in the State.
According to him, people visit PDS shops daily from first day of the month and demand their rations. Due to lack of information about supply of food grains from the RFC Godown, sometime they have to face verbal arguments with the cardholders, he added.
“If we receive food grains or kerosene oil adequately from RFC Godown in first week of each month, we will be able to distribute it among beneficiaries on time according to government guidelines,” he added.
State Food and Civil Supply additional secretary Ravinath Raman said that all the food and civil supply officers have been directed to ensure provision of ration or kerosene oil among beneficiaries under PDS as per government standard on particular date each month. District magistrates concerned may take steps for improving PDS in their districts.