The long wait for ration cards might end soon in Jharkhand as verification process of over 75 per cent of the beneficiaries have been completed by the State Government following which they will be sent for printing. According to the Food and Civil Supply Secretary, Vinay Kumar Chaubey, the department plans to send the ration cards for printing by August 14.
“Over 75 to 80 per cent of the beneficiaries have been selected for processing... Out of a total of 50 lakh beneficiaries, more than 47-48 people have already been selected for the distribution of Ration cards,” said Chaubey. We have been asked to take the approval from Gram Sabhas before sending them for the final printing which will done very soon and then it will be sent for the printing, added Chaubey.
The process of digitisation is also in progress and more than 40 lakh of it has already been completed while 50 thousand more is being added per day, Chaubey added.
According to Chaubey, the Government intends to distribute ration cards before the implementation of Food Security Act in the State.
Officials of the district administration also asserted that data entry was being done after the verification after the completion of verification process. “As per the time schedule, all ration cards has to be sent for printing by August 14 after which further direction will be passed by the department,” said Special Officer of Rationing Nesar Ahmed.
A tender had also been floated for the printing of the ration cards but not a single party turned up on time, hence the process was cancelled, and a new tender will be floated soon for printing of ration cards.
“As soon as both the processes are completed...officials of the department will go to the gram sabha and publicise the names of the people who have selected for the distribution of ration cards and will take action if any objection is raised on anybody’s name,” said Ahmed. Those who have been left will also be included in the list, he added.
Giving them a fresh chance, new applications for those who fulfil criteria of geting Ration cards or those who could not fill up their application forms are being given a second chance to fill up their forms. It is being done for smooth implementation of food security act, to be implemented by September 1 this year, said the SOR.
“Everything is being a fresh cancelling the old applications received some 6-7 years back. We are using the data available to us making the socio-economic survey conducted during the year 2011 as a base,” said the official.