How did the well-offs get listed as PDS beneficiaries?

DNA: Ahmedabad: Monday, February 05, 2018.

Details about beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) sought through an RTI query revealed that a lot of these beneficiaries were relatives of political leaders, income tax officials, civic body employees and even journalists and bankers.

"The sale transaction details of PDS sought clearly shows that the food meant for the poor was taken by someone who used the ration cards of several well-off people. But the bigger question is that how did these people become eligible for the scheme," said Ajay Jangid, the RTI activist whose efforts brought forward the scam.

Jangid said everyone can have a ration card. "It is a valid document for proof and much sought after. So irrespective of whether you are rich or poor, anyone can get a ration card. But to get free food grains, you need to be enlisted as a beneficiary," said Jangid.

He said a ration card holder will get food grains from the PDS systems only if he is categorised as falling in three categories- Below Poverty Line (BPL) , Antyodaya and the beneficiary list prepared under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by the state government.

"It is obvious from the RTI that all those people in whose name the foodgrain was being diverted got it because they were shown as BPL or NFSA beneficiary," said Jangid.

He added that to be such a beneficiary, a ration card holder had to first fill a declaration form. "In the declaration form, the beneficiaries have to disclose somethings. Families that have income higher than Rs10,000, have a member of family who is a government servant, those who have a four wheeler, the family with over 5 acre of land for farming among others are excluded from the list," said Jangid.

He said when a ration card holder files a declaration from stating that he does not tick any of the boxes that will put him in the exclusion list, a zonal officer is sent to his residence to check his claims.

"Now here, the relatives of political leaders, civic body employees and even income tax officials were listed as beneficiaries. This means either the zonal officer concerned did not check their claims whenever (or whoever) they filled the form seeking inclusion as NFSA beneficiary or the zonal officer checked, knew the information to be wrong and deliberately allowed these people to be shown as beneficiaries," said Jangid.

Sangeeta Singh, additional chief secretary, civil supplies department did not respond to calls or messages from DNA.