Study arbitrary deletion of ration cards, govt urged

Hyderabad: Ration card beneficiaries whose cards got deleted without any verification in 2018 have urged the newly formed State government to formulate a high-level committee to study the arbitrary deletion of ration card holders on different grounds in Telangana.

As per official records, nearly 1,06,818 were rejected in 2019 without any field inspections. According to social activists and beneficiaries, these issues have resulted in the exclusion and deprivation of the underprivileged of their fundamental right to food.

S Q Masood, a social activist, said, “Ration cards have been deleted without conducting field-level inquiries or providing adequate notice to beneficiaries,” and that drastic action has been taken against beneficiaries who have not drawn rations from the Fair Price Shops (FPS) for a period ranging from three to six months. The government must address the concerns and ensure that the technological advancements in managing ration cards do not inadvertently lead to the marginalisation of vulnerable populations, he added.