The Civil Supplies Department has intensified its drive against those ineligibly holding on to priority ration cards reserved for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in the district. It has detected and converted into the non-priority category over 1,100 such cards in less than a month.
Out of the 1,107 such cards detected, the Ernakulam city rationing office accounted for the most number of illegal holders — 401. The Department launched the second such drive after conducting a similar drive more than a year ago after the first round of distribution of new ration cards.
The Department has also issued memos to 70-odd cardholders under multiple taluk limits after an inquiry revealed that they had been illegally benefiting from priority cards. “Their cards have already been converted into non-priority category and they have been asked to respond within 15 days why the economic cost of their illegal procurement should not be recovered from them,” District Supply Officer Benny Joseph told The Hindu .
The economic cost comprises the cost of procurement of foodgrains, their processing and storage in Food Corporation of India godowns. For instance, rice sold at ₹1 a kg entails a procurement cost of ₹29, and illegal priority card holders could be asked to shell out the corresponding amount for every month they had procured rice using the priority card if their responses were found to be unsatisfactory.
However, more often than not, those at fault successfully claim ignorance, stating that they were automatically issued priority cards by the computer computations based on their submissions.
For instance, a senior citizen may submit that he or she belongs to the Ashraya category on the ground that they are no longer working and are dependent on the earnings of their children though only those sections certified by local bodies concerned can claim to belong to that category, which usually covers those without adult children and have no source of income, job or a proper house. While they may have submitted that they belong to the Ashraya category wilfully, they often go scot-free after being granted the benefit of doubt.
Punitive measures
Though the Kerala Rationing Order provides for imprisonment of those guilty of misusing priority cards, the provision is yet to be invoked anywhere in the State. Such drastic action requires the permission of the government.
As per the Food Security Act, the conversion of priority cards into non-priority category and vice versa is a continuous process as and when the living circumstances of the cardholders change.
Local body documents
The Civil Supplies Department depends on multiple avenues to detect the illegal holders of priority cards and it includes lists secured from local bodies about residents with houses larger than 1,000 sq.ft and from the Regional Transport Office about owners of four-wheelers. “Besides, we verify the address of ration card holders against the data in the ration card management system to find out whether people living in flats are taking illegal benefit of priority cards,” said Mr. Joseph.
The Department has so far directly received 78,000 applications for new cards through its seven taluk supply offices and two city rationing offices. Besides, 260 Akshaya entrepreneurs have been trained in the application process. Consumers may also apply online on their own. The processing of the applications is likely to start this week.
