Foodgrain scheme fails to deliver goods

As it is, the scheme defies logic as even the poor people in rural areas manage to earn Rs 20 per day and hence cannot avail of the scheme.

The ration card-holders who possess LGP cylinders and who do not claim the quota of foodgrains from the fair price shops for successive three months are also not eligible to draw the benefits of the scheme.

Besides, the government has allegedly adopted a novel way of rubber stamping the ration cards with the `temporary eligible for the scheme’ mark.

The scheme was launched in this district on June 1. However, the beneficiaries at various places are yet to get the foodgrains from the fair price shops. Out of a total of 4,33,833 ration card holders in the district, 1,25,298 card-holders have been considered eligible to get benefits of the scheme temporarily. It is alleged that at present, anybody can go to the fair price shop and fill up the form to get the temporary eligibility status. In case the information provided by the card-holder is proved false, he would be debarred from taking the benefit of the scheme.

The present situation indicates that the scheme has turned out to be a complete failure since the survey to find out the genuine beneficiaries has not been conducted. Moreover, essentials commodities such as sugar, edible oil, kerosene and tur dal have not been included in the scheme.

VIMAL THAKUR CASE: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has reserved the final hearing in the local Civic Body Chief Vimal Thakur’s case to June 30. Thakur’s election to the civic chief’s post was challenged through a writ petition by Shiv Sena council member Indumati Deshmukh, BJP council member Indumati Mohta and social worker Yadav Patil. The district collector, the returning officer and MC chief officer were also made the respondents in the case. The HC had earlier posted the petition for final hearing on June 16.