Despite clear direction from the government of India to expedite the issuance of ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to marginalised sections in the state on a war footing, thousands of needy citizens have still been left out in Meghalaya.
Secretary of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Pravin Bakshi, had, last month, dashed off a letter asking the Deputy Commissioners of the 11 districts to launch a special drive to collect the names of people without ration cards from villages and localities and issue them ration cards. He asked them to report back by June 11.
But, as sources informed, that was about it. Speaking to some people who had already applied for their cards months or even years ago, it is learnt that no government or village authority has ever got in touch with them about their ration cards. “It’s all a sham,” one of them said.
It is mandated that the Food and Civil Supplies Department should ensure the right to food of its citizens who are suffering untold deprivation and are on the verge of starvation due to many livelihoods being washed out due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.
Except for government servants, other members of the salaried class and the wealthy few, people are struggling to make ends meet. Daily wage earners and farmers are the hardest hit but it is among those who need ration cards the most who are denied it, sources said.
“If we at least have a ration card we can get rice at a cheap rate. We can’t afford the market rate,” said a person without a ration card.
Recently the Meghalaya High Court had issued an order making the Legal Secretary of the Meghalaya State Legal Authority to find out if the government departments are actually implementing the various welfare schemes meant for the marginalized sections of the society.
In the latest letter, the central government said that states are asked to launch the special drive so that the poor, hawkers, migrant workers, rural people, street and slum dwellers are given ration cards.
