Jinxed PDS

Serious discrepancies are taking place during distribution of ration cards at the designated DPL centres in the twin cities.

1. Owing to the collusion between the middlemen and the officials, white ration cards are not being issued in genuine and deserving cases and instead are being issued to undeserving families.
2. The interference of political parties in the issue of ration cards is obstructing objective identification of beneficiaries. Many representatives of these political parties influence the officials concerned into issuing white ration cards to individuals of their own choice.
3. The officials are not following objective systems of identifying beneficiaries. For example, based on the word of mouth of the owner of a house, they are denying ration cards to the tenants.
4. The public is not given proper information regarding the issue procedure of ration cards at the DPL centres. The officials in charge are indifferent and non-cooperative.
5. The enquiry procedure is entirely haphazard.
6. The submitted declaration forms are missing from official files after the enquiry. People are forced to run from pillar to post to make the officials locate their forms.
7. Thousands of applications are pending with each DPL centre as a result of corrupt practices in issue of ration cards.

As concerned citizens, we put forward the following demands for fair and just distribution of ration cards:

1. Stop political interference in the issue of ration cards. Activities of all kinds of middle-men in the procedure of issue of ration cards should be immediately curtailed. There should be strict monitoring of the DPL centres to curtail the activities of the middlemen.
2. Officers in cognito should monitor the functioning of the DPL centres to check corrupt and biased practices at the DPL centres. The Anti Corruption Bureau needs to revamp its system of checking corruption.
3. The procedure of enquiry to identify the deserving beneficiaries should be systematically rationalised.
4. It should be ensured that the behaviour of the officers in charge at the DPL centres is people-friendly by initiating action against erring officials.
5. The Hon’ble Minister for Civil Supplies should take the ultimate responsibility for the discrepancies in the issue of ration cards. The minister should occasionally visit the DPL Centres, especially in the old city of Hyderabad, along with the officials concerned, and inspect the functioning of the centres and take measures to expedite the issue of pending ration cards.

- Citizens' Initiative for Fair Distribution of Ration Cards