The issue of distribution of ration cards dominated the general body meeting of the Udupi Taluk Panchayat here on Saturday.
Raising the issue, Umesh Naik, member, said there were long queues at nemmadi kendras near taluk office and at the Old DC Office here, where ration cards were being issued. People from villages away from Udupi had to wait for long. The procedure for issuing or making any amendments in ration cards was quixotic, he said.
Veronica Carnelio said that there were many aged persons and those with disabilities who could not go to nemmadi kendras or other centres to get their names included in the cards. Besides, all family members had to go at once for giving their thumb impression and getting photographed at the centres. It would be better if photographs were accepted in the case of aged persons and those with disabilities, she added.
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Raghupati Bhat, MLA, said the process of registering for ration cards would go on, but people panicked and rushed to nemmadi kendras. If the rush subsided everything would be easy. The government had decided to provide ration cards at nada kacheris at the hobli-level from September 1. This would help ease the problem, he said.
Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Arun Kumar said there were 31 lakh new applications for ration cards in the State. Workload on the personnel at nemmadi kendras had increased. President of the taluk panchayat Devadas Hebbar and Executive Officer D. Manjunathayya were present.