Ration offices take a hit as officials roped in for poll duty

Dr Ratnadeep Gaikwad, state Deputy Controller of Rationing (Enforcement), told Newsline, “80 per cent of the staff are on election duty. We are severely under-staffed. I, too, am on election duty. We are looking at alternate arrangements, wherein if there are 10 rationing inspectors in an area, then at least four will be on rationing duty. Nothing has been finalised yet. Both are important activities and so we need to come out with a system where no activity is affected.”

At the Pant Nagar rationing office, a notice has been put up which states that the ration inspection officer has been relieved from official work and has been put on Lok Sabha election duty. All activity related to rationing will be shut till May 20, the notice states.

A staff member at the rationing office said, “We are sending back anyone who is coming to us with complaints, queries or new application forms, as the final authority to look into the problems is busy with the polls.”

When asked what alternate arrangements were made in the area for people who were dependent on the public distribution system for cheap food grains, another official at the Pant Nagar ration office said, “Till May 20, the only thing that they can do is buy ration from other shops.”

Mumbai and Thane are serviced by 46 rationing offices. Each rationing office works as a nodal agency for issue, cancellation or changes in ration cards. People visit the rationing offices for all work connected to PDS. The office monitors smooth distribution of food grains, wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene.

Akshay Bedkute (25), who came to the rationing office to add his sister-in-law’s name to the family’s ration card said, “I have now been asked to come back on May 25. Like elections, even distributing cheap ration is important. They should make some arrangement.”

Another disgruntled consumer, Anita Gajre (34), said, “There is some problem with the address on my card, so I am unable to get ration. May 20 is a long way to go, and till then I will have to somehow manage with my husband’s salary.”

Krishna Uppuluri
krishna.uppuluri@expressindia.com