By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 31: More than 75,000 applications for new ration cards are pending in Meghalaya due to the delay by the Centre in conducting the census.
The delay has prevented the state government from processing these applications, the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Comingone Ymbon said on Wednesday.
“We cannot do anything about the 75,000-plus applicants across the state. The process can start only after the Centre completes the census, which was delayed in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic,” he said.
“I am in constant touch with the Centre. Hopefully, the census work will resume after the budget session of Parliament,” he said.
In 2023, the department launched the ‘food security’ campaign to sensitise the public on the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013 and to strive to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 – zero hunger.
The campaign offers various citizen services, including guidance on ration card applications, consumer complaint procedures, and ePoS transaction insights. To maximise public engagement, it employs a diverse communication strategy encompassing outdoor, print, electronic, and social media, as well as public engagement through skits and roadshows.