Ration System Crisis: Public and Dealers Struggling

The distribution of essential commodities is causing significant hardships for both the public and ration dealers due to policy flaws. As per the regulations, ration cardholders should be able to purchase commodities from any ration shop across the country. However, the commodities permitted for purchase on the ration card are often unavailable in the shops cardholders visit.

For instance, while fortified boiled rice is available in Kuttanad taluk, Kottayam taluk authorities supply fortified matta rice and raw rice to the dealers for distribution. This means that cardholders in Kottayam cannot access the fortified boiled rice they are entitled to, forcing them to travel to Kuttanad taluk and back to get their share.

The removal of the combination billing facility, which allowed shops to supply available rice as a substitute, has left ration dealers powerless to assist cardholders. The ePoS machines record the distribution protocol based on the card’s registered taluk, and changes are needed in this system to ensure people benefit from the facility.

Another problem is the delayed milling of wheat to provide flour to ration shops. Yellow ration cardholders were supposed to receive 2 kgs of wheat flour priced at Rs 7 per kg, while pink cardholders were entitled to 3 kgs at Rs 9 per kg. Due to unavailability last month, distribution was extended to this month, but the ePoS machines were only recently updated. Enabling the supply of wheat to cardholders when flour isn’t available can benefit both the public and the dealers.

The issue also extends to the supply of sugar to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cardholders, with a halt in the distribution of 1 kg of sugar priced at Rs 21 per kg due to shortages in Supplyco’s depots and Maveli stores.

Furthermore, expired contracts for transporting ration commodities from National Food Security Act (NFSA) godowns to dealers’ premises in many places are causing commodities to remain stocked in godowns without reaching the ration shops. In response, ration dealer organizations are gearing up for a potential agitation.