Expansion in the ambit of Mukhyamantri Khadanya Suraksha Yojana (Chief Minister Food Security Scheme) at the one hand resulted in increase in the number of families living Below Poverty line from 36 lakh to 42 lakh in the State, on the other hand, it declined substantially from 70 thousand to 57 thousand in the Maoist insurgency-hit Sukma district.
October 10 had been fixed for renewal of ration cards, but even after that, new ration cards were not issued in the ration shops of Chhindgarh block due to which villagers created uproar.
Notably, there is dissent brewing up among people in 43 panchayats of Chhindgarh block due to non issuance of ration cards to families living below poverty line as from almost all villages aggrieved villagers have registered protest with the district collector by visiting the district headquarters.
Meanwhile, villagers of Chhindgarh block alleged that in many panchayats Rs 30 is being collected from every family for renewal of their BPl ration cards and people whose names have been deleted from the list of ration card holders are allegedly told by ration shop operators that due to imposition of model code of conduct in the State, they should not be issued ration till the completion of poll. Persons who had been given ration last month but not this month are now cursing both the State Government and the public representatives even.
In this connection district food officer K R Pisda said that till October 10 renewal of ration cards was fixed and whose names have been deleted from the list had also to submit application for name inclusion. People who did not submit details in the set period their names have been deleted from the list due to which total number of ration card holders declined to 57 thousand from 70 thousand earlier but the ration shops have been allotted full quota, he added.
Pisda further informed that lower level employees will also avail the benefit of the scheme as per state government norms as also Shikshakarmis who have completed nine years. Date for submitting the form has also been extended, he added.