Activists, ration card applicants want PDS to be made universal

Hyderabad: Recently the State government started distributing free rice but yet there is no information on when registration for new ration cards will begin. Due to that many eligible cardholders are being deprived of free rice. Vexed with long pending issues a few social activists and beneficiaries have requested the Civil Supplies department to make the Public Distribution System (PDS) universal.

Said social activist S Q Masood, "Without taking up registration for new ration cards, the government has started distributing rice, as there are still many beneficiaries whose ration card applications got rejected without any verification in 2018. They can't avail themselves of the new ration cards, as the registration has not begun. There is no clarity when the registration for new ration card will begun. We have given many representations to the concerned officials, but they fell on deaf ears. It will be better if the government makes it universal so anybody who is in need can avail of the rice or other essential commodities under PDS, including pulses, edible oil, wheat flour at an affordable price."

"Being the beneficiary, I am unable to avail the free rice, as I don't have a ration card, vexed with sending various representation letters to the Civil Supplies department to start registration for new ration cards but all fell on deaf ears. It will better if state government makes it universal, we are not telling to give us for free, they can charge minimum rate,"

Stated a beneficiary. Rahul Rao, "We don't know when the registration will be taken up as no notification has been issued. Many times we have given representations and also requested the department officials to make the PDS universal, but nothing has happened".