Public outrage feared on rationing issue

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 26: Malda dealers association fears that public outrage on the issue of rationing system may be aggravated in December due to curtailment of allotment of rice for the people belonging to below the poverty line. The state committee of the ration dealers’ association has taken a decision to draw the attention of the government for taking necessary action to inform the people that the allotment of rice has been reduced. The FCI has issued the notification regarding 50 per cent curtailment of rice from the earlier rate of allotment and informed the matter to the government on 14 November. The Malda district controller of food and supplies Mr NK Saha said that he got such information that allotment of rice would be reduced by at least 50 per cent. “It would create another problem for the dealers to manage the people who will demand rice that he used to get earlier”, Mr Saha said. The ration dealers criticised both the state and FCI for the decision and blamed both of them for failing to procure rice according to the system of procurement through its agencies from the market. “It is very difficult to convince irate mob that the government has reduced allotment of rice. We want the government would come forward to inform the people about the scale of distribution with proper notification”, said Mr. Pramod Ghosh, secretary of the Malda dealers association. In Malda, public outrage is still on in many remote villages and few ration shops are closed fearing villagers’ attack. Villagers are complaining against dealers about malpractice collecting ration cards of the dead persons. The latest system is the dealers will collect ration cards of the dead persons from his area and they will write off their name from his register and inform the matter to the food and supplies department. “But in practice dealers collect ration cards but does not write off their names or inform the department. “Owing to lack of special drive to detect ration cards of dead people due to shortage of staffs dealers took such advantage”, said an inspector of food and supplies department.