[Reader-list] RTF (Right to Food) Articles - 16

[Rakesh Iyer]

Source: The Hindu

Date: Wednesday, Aug 04, 2004

Link: http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/08/04/stories/2004080408040400.htm

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* Ration cards elude the poor *

By Our Staff Reporter

 NEW DELHI, AUG. 3. It has been two years since Kamlesh, a widow staying
with her three children in the Kalyanpuri slum clusters in the Capital, has
been trying to get a ration card made but without any success. The local
Food and Civil Supplies Department has refused to give her even the
application form.

"They are asking me to prove that I am a widow. It is only then that I would
get a form," Kamlesh said. The story of Bhagva Devi, another widow who lost
her ration card a few years ago, is no different. The area ration office has
not issued her a duplicate ration card.

At a public hearing on Saturday, many women like Kamlesh and Bhagva spoke
about the "indifferent attitude" of the Delhi Government when it came to
giving the poor a ration card and timely distribution of food through fair
price shops. "Who cares for the poor? The entire system exists only on
papers. It is a big farce," alleged Arvind Kejriwal, of Parivartan, the
non-government organisation, which organised the public hearing. Claiming
that many poor people have not been issued ration cards, Mr. Kejriwal
alleged that even those who had were not getting the ration. "Almost 90 per
cent of the supplies in most parts of the Capital are being siphoned off. A
physical verification done by Parivartan at a few shops in East Delhi has
revealed this startling fact," he said.

Alleging that the public distribution system was not reaching the targeted
group, he said the poor were being deprived of their right to food. While
there are 34 lakh ration cardholders above the poverty line, only 4.09 lakhs
were from below poverty line (BPL). Arguing that those above the poverty
line hardly lifted their ration from the fair price shop and as a result it
was sold in the market, the public hearing demanded that the number of BPL
be increased to 10 lakhs.