SHILLONG: As shadow of Covid pandemic lengthens, the cry of the marginalised for bailing them out is getting louder and complaints of shoddy distribution of relief from the government agencies have been pouring in.
However, government officials claimed that since the lockdown began the poor were assisted with weekly wages, one-time cash benefit for those who returned from outside, besides distributing food stuff under different central schemes.
Giving details an official from the Labour Department told this reporter that out of Chief Minister’s Relief Against Wage Loss Scheme (CRAWL) relief was provided to wage earners, labourers, petty traders who were rendered out of work during the lockdown period. Under the Scheme, relief payment for three weeks was approved for payment at Rs. 700/- per week.
“The amount is to be transferred to the account of eligible claimants using the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). Number of claimants who have received relief payment @ Rs. 2100/- per beneficiary is 1,04,474”, the official said.
In addition, the Labour department extended one-time cash support to 10,038 beneficiaries who were stranded outside the state at Rs 3000 per head out of the grant under CM’s Special Grant.
The Labour department’s records show that 552043 households had received wages from April onwards, amounting to Rs 374.05 crore.
However, there were a large segment of the marginalised who were yet to see any of these come their way. Obviously, there has not been effective advocacy for their cause.
Ration cards
On the other hand, with a number of complaints about people being deprived of their quota of rice and non-possession of ration cards, the DC of East Khasi Hills, Matsiewdor War Nongrbi said that for the distribution of ration cards proper procedure is to be followed and there is no random distribution.
The database obtained from the SECC Census, would help in identifying the beneficiaries for the ration cards. The Socio- Economic and Caste (SECC) Census was halted due to the pandemic. The centre was to identify those who do not have ration cards. In addition, the centre plans to identify the poor in the different villages through its scheme Atmanirbhar Bharat.
She said that the district administration was collecting data from different localities in the urban areas and villages in an attempt to enable them to avail the facilities of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” programme of the Government of India.
Synjuk ki Nongsynshar shnong Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep general secretary, R.L. Blah said that the Synjuk has written to the government on the poor not getting benefits such as ration cards.
She further informed that rice, Chana whole under ANB is allotted at 10 per cent of the Regular NFSA Allocation and under the ANB scheme, the first priority is to be issued for the Migrants Worker, Stranded Migrants.
The balance quantity is to be issued to non-card holders.
List of Non card holders is under process of verification and will be issued immediately after verification was over, she said.