Hyderabad: Rejected ration card-holders demand registrations afresh

Hyderabad: As there is no proper information when the registration process for new ration cards will start, many have been deprived of them. Vexed with the long pending issues, a few rejected cards-holders and social activists submitted a representation to the Civil Supplies department on Monday to start the registration process and also to extend the benefits of various welfare schemes to those holding food security cards.

S Q Masood a social activist said, "We are vexed of sending representations to the Civil Supplies department to start registration for new ration cards. Due to the Covid pandemic several breadwinners of families expired. Many families were struck by poverty and fell below the poverty line. They have been facing severe hardships after their plea for ration cards got rejected."

"Records show nearly 106,818 requests for ration cards were rejected in July last year without any field inspection. For the past one year the rejected card-holders have been waiting for registration of new cards to start, but no concrete measures have been taken. It will be better, along with new cards, if the State government extends various welfare schemes to ration card-holders."

According to R Ravi, whose applicant for ration card got rejected, "since 2014 the government stopped white ration cards. Instead, it issued only food security and additional food security cards to applicants. Due to that we have been deprived of many social schemes. Also, we are vexed of visiting CRO regularly to know when the registration for new ration cards will begin and also to include welfare scheme in ration cards."

B Kasthuri of Asifnagar said,"When ration cards were given by the government, our application was rejected without any information and reason. We are eligible for the card, but the government did not consider my request. Without information my ration card plea got rejected. Due to that, we are deprived of various social schemes. Vexed with the long delay we have submitted a representation to the Chief Rationing Officer."