SHILLONG: Beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) are being charged more than the specified price that is fixed by the Government for PDS items.
The actual price for Priority Households (PHHs), earlier known as BPL beneficiaries, rice is Rs 3 per kg while the beneficiaries are being charged between Rs 5-10, alleged CSWO.
CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing in a statement issued to the media on Sunday said at Mawsiangei in Shella Bholaganj Block in East Khasi Hills, villagers, who fall under the PHH category, are compelled to pay Rs 10 per kg. This is decided by the village Dorbar and agreed upon by the vigilance committees who are all male members.
One of the women, Dran Khongphai, who was aggrieved over paying Rs 10 for a kg of rice under the scheme, met CSWO and narrated the way PDS foodgrain is being provided.
Out of the 30 kg that her family of six is allotted to at Rs 5 kg per head, one kg is deducted from each head and only 24 kg is distributed and this is reflected in her ration card.
According to NFSA, every person belonging to priority households, will be entitled to 5 kg of foodgrain per person per month at subsidised prices from ration shops not exceeding Rs 3 per kg of rice, and Rs 2 per kg of wheat. Despite repeated orders from the Government, those who are complaining are being reprimanded by officials.
Dran told CSWO that Z. Kharkongor, sub-inspector of supply in Sohra, reprimanded her for taking up the issue on the state public grievance portal and the official told the beneficiary that if she refuses to sign a peace bond, the villagers will lose out on the scheme. Dran refused to sign as there was no mention of the reduction of the Rs 10 per kg of rice.
According to the beneficiary, there was no discussion on price reduction but only on the allotment which the sub-inspector told the dealer to give 5 kg per head.
Dran even mentioned that only 3 kg of sugar was distributed while the entry in the ration card mentions 3.5 kg.
The sub inspector even went to the extent of telling the complainant to be the dealer instead.
According to CSWO, this sarcastic statement by the official is uncalled for. Kharshiing warned that such government servants will be dragged to court through a PIL if they are indifferent to the common man, as this is about the right to food of the poor and the public cannot be ridiculed by those who are in power.
These are threat tactics and this will not be tolerated, Kharshiing said, adding that the ration card in this case itself is the proof of anomalies. “Instead of taking action against the dealer, the sub-inspector is asking the beneficiary to sign a peace bond instead,” the CSWO said.
In the ration card of the woman, there was double entry of her name and also of her family members, which is a wonder even to her; though she said she receives only for six members. This printing was done by the office for reasons best known to them and this just goes to show how recklessly the printing was done and there are also doubts whether the additional names are counted for supplying PDS, she said.
When asked whether the distribution is done for the whole month, CSWO was informed that PDS is distributed only for one day in this village and those who fail to collect the PDS within the specified date given by the dealer are denied their entitlements. “This is another corrupt practice in some villages. This causes great injustice and inconvenience to poor daily wage earners and contractual employees under the security service providers as their salary is not at all regular,” CSWO said.
Kharshiing said this is the situation prevalent in many villages where the CSWO is getting complaints that the NFSA is not at all being complied with by many dealers who are conniving with some village heads and government servants.
