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Rationed forms anger citizens by Amit Gupta
The Arjun Munda government’s headlong drive to distribute new ration cards among 50 lakh families across the state is turning out to be an organised chaos, with acute crunch of application forms and clueless public representatives fielded for the job.

While a three-day, statewide camp kicked off today to arm every family in rural and urban pockets with ration cards that entitle them to subsidised foodgrain, kerosene, et al, inadequate number of forms spurred allegations of nepotism in Ranchi and Dhanbad and frayed tempers in Jamshedpur, where important files at a civic office were set on fire.

Isolated distribution of forms began in the state from April 22 after a gap of nine years and the exercise is expected to reach its summit at the camp that will continue till April 27.

In the past, some 11 lakh BPL families had been deprived of ration cards despite having their BPL numbers after the 2002-07 revision of the list. The recent exercise is expected to plug this loophole, besides ensuring that several lakh APL families too got ration cards. Those who will not be able to apply within the next two days can do so by May 5 at respective block offices.

The new ration card drive has been initiated by the state food and civil supplies department and is being implemented by respective district administrations by involving people’s representatives in panchayats and civic bodies. But problems galore are marring the ambitious programme.

Rajendra Machua, a ward member of Tamar East panchayat under Ranchi district, said he was given only 150 APL forms while the number of families in the category concerned was not less than 450. “People are coming in good numbers to get their new ration cards. But all the forms I received from block officials have been exhausted and I am facing the heat. People are alleging that I have distributed the forms among my own people,” said Machua, who is a part-time driver and a fish vendor in local markets.

At urban centres, too, people were seen swamping houses and offices of ward members. Fatima Bibi, a mother of three, knocked on the door of councillor of ward No. 16 Nazima Raza only to be told that there were no forms left and it was her mistake not to have come earlier. However, sources claimed that some influential people did receive forms.

In Dhanbad, 150 women had gheraoed the residence of deputy commissioner Sunil Kumar Burnwal yesterday, alleging gross irregularities in distribution of forms.

They claimed that the free forms were either being sold at a premium or being given to relatives.

Today, residents of Sindri’s ward No. 52 gathered near the house of councillor Manju Devi and voiced their grievances. She quelled protests, saying that the Dhanbad administration had not given her sufficient number of forms.

In Jamshedpur — where the task of distribution has been entrusted with legislators in the absence of elected civic representatives in Mango and Jugsalai — residents raised a hue and cry because of a shortage of forms.

Vimal Kumar, deputy secretary, food and civil supplies, said the onus of printing forms was with deputy commissioners and the department was in no way responsible for the crunch.

Confronted, some deputy commissioners contended that the forms were printed based on the previous data of BPL and APL families. “The number of different categories may have increased in the recent census. So, the hitch. But we always have the option of printing more forms and people need not panic,” one of them said.

But sources pointed out that the decision to start the process of issuing ration cards was taken in haste and that was the root of the problem because public representatives were not trained to carry out a programme of such enormous proportions.