Telangana: Wait for new ration cards continues

Deadlines for the Congress government in Telangana are apparently not meant to be met. Take the distribution of new ration (smart) cards. Initially, the assurance given was they would be distributed from January. Now, even that deadline stands little chance of being met

Hyderabad: Deadlines for the Congress government in Telangana are apparently not meant to be met. Take the distribution of new ration (smart) cards. Initially, the assurance given was they would be distributed from January. This then changed to March. And then, May became the deadline. Now, even that deadline stands little chance of being met.

On the other hand, ration card applicants are a worried lot. The Civil Supplies department had assured that Below Poverty Line (BPL) families would be given tricolour smart cards, reflecting the Congress stamp. Smart cards for Above Poverty Lines (APL) families were to be green. Officials claimed that tenders were also floated to finalise an agency for making the cards and the exercise was to be completed by April. The guidelines for issue of APL cards are yet to be finalized by the department.

In December last, Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy had said the State government would distribute 10 lakh new white ration cards. This would cost the State exchequer about Rs.950 crore. At present, there are about 89.90 lakh ration cards and nearly 18 lakh new ration card applications are pending in the State. The Congress government had constituted a cabinet sub committee to approve the new ration cards.

Despite this, the government invited fresh applications from people. Accordingly, applications were filed at Praja Palana, Prajavani, Gram Sabhas and even through Mee Seva centres. Though the scrutiny of applications was done, the exercise to distribute the new cards was getting delayed for reasons better known to the officials.

Meanwhile, existing applicants, who wanted to add or delete a few names in the cards, were also finding it a task. After submission of applications at Mee Seva or Tahsildar office for addition or deletion of names in the cards, the revenue department personnel would conduct a field enquiry and take steps accordingly.

But many applicants are fuming that there was no intimation or clarity about the processing of applications. When approached the Mee Seva centres, the applicants were informed that their role was limited to accepting the applications and the rest was being handled by the Civil Supplies department. On the contrary, officials claimed that applications were being processed and SMSes was being sent to the applicant about the status of the application.

Irrespective of the status, the applicants can download the soft copy and obtain commodities from respective fair price shops, a senior official said.

Regarding the distribution of smart cards, the official said it would take some more time.