Immediate continuation of doorstep delivery system for PDS sought
Visakhapatnam: Even as the Andhra Pradesh government decided to do away with the door delivery method of supplying essential commodities to beneficiaries under public distribution system (PDS) from June and restore the previous system of dispensing them through fair price shops, it did draw flak from various sections of society. However, the door delivery system was scrapped following a survey that indicated that a section of ration cardholders did not receive essential commodities, discrepancies in the supply mechanism, operational challenges, diversion of goods, lack of manpower to operate vehicles, etc.,
Expressing concern over the Andhra Pradesh government's recent scrapping of the doorstep delivery system for public distribution of rations, Human Rights Forum (HRF) representatives mentioned that the move will severely undermine the food security of Adivasi communities, particularly those in remote and interior villages of the state.
Introduced in 2021, the doorstep delivery model ensured rations were handed over directly to beneficiaries through mobile dispensing units (MDUs), even in remote habitations. This dramatically reduced the travel burden for the elderly, persons with disabilities and daily wage workers. In Adivasi areas, this system was a critical step towards accessible welfare delivery, especially among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), stressed HRF AP state general secretary Y Rajesh and AP and TG coordination committee member VS Krishna.
At several places, Adivasis are now forced to walk up to 10-km across difficult terrain to access rations. The State government's claim that beneficiaries were missing rations under the doorstep system does not align with evidence on the ground, the HRF team pointed out. In fact, a field survey by LibTech India, a policy research organisation, covering 790 Adivasi respondents in the Paderu ITDA region of Alluri Sitarama Raju district found that 83 percent preferred the doorstep delivery system over the depot system for collecting rations. Notably, 92 per cent stated that it had reduced travel distance. While 75 per cent of respondents said under-delivery was a recurring issue at depots, 65 per cent experienced coercion to purchase additional items. Clearly, for many Adivasi families' resident in remote areas, the doorstep system removed significant travel barriers to access ration supplies, the HRF members emphasised.
HRF opined that a dual-access model with MDUs as the primary channel and depot-based backup access for those who missed the truck could have been sustained. HRF demanded immediate restoration of the doorstep ration delivery system across all tribal areas, with a provision for depot access to those who miss the MDU. The door delivery model must be strengthened through improved logistics, volunteer support, transparency and robust grievance redress mechanisms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Illegal ration rice trade rampant in Kurnool, CPI raise concerns
Pathikonda: Illegal transportation and black-marketing of ration rice have emerged as a serious concern in Pathikonda mandal of Kurnool district. Despite the government's well-intentioned efforts to ensure food security for the underprivileged through the Public Distribution System (PDS), a network of ration dealers and traders is reportedly diverting the subsidised rice for commercial gain. According to reliable sources, several ration dealers are indulging in manipulative practices including under-weighing and misreporting to create surplus stocks. Additionally, rice is being collected from some beneficiaries who sell their quota due to financial distress or lack of awareness. This rice is then supplied illegally to local rice mills and grocery stores, feeding a parallel black-market economy. As the nexus between ration dealers, traders, and millers grows stronger, genuine beneficiaries are left in the lurch. The State government has mandated that each beneficiary family should receive ration supplies for at least 15 days per month. However, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. In several villages of Pathikonda and Devanakonda mandals, residents report that they are either receiving reduced quantities or are being told that stock is unavailable. Local officials, especially in Devanakonda, are being accused of conducting superficial inspections and turning a blind eye to the malpractice. 'Their checks appear more like a formality than a serious attempt to enforce the law,' allege residents. Raising his voice against this growing menace, CPI District Committee Member M Narasa Rao has strongly condemned the failure of the local administration to curb the illegal trade. Speaking to the media, he said, 'It is deeply unfortunate that the rice intended for the poor is being diverted to the open market. The ration system was introduced to protect the food rights of economically weaker sections, but today it has become a profitable business for a few corrupt individuals.' He further added, 'We have received several complaints from people across villages in Pathikonda and Devanakonda mandals. They are either being denied their rightful ration or being pressured to sell it. This is a violation of their basic rights and an insult to the government's welfare policies.' 'Those found guilty, including dealers and traders involved in this illegal racket, must face strict legal consequences. The government should implement a robust monitoring mechanism and involve local communities and party representatives in vigilance efforts,' he emphasized. 'This rice is meant for your families. Selling it might give short-term money, but it only strengthens this illegal network and weakens the system meant to support you,' he appealed. With public outrage growing, the onus is now on the district authorities to restore faith in the ration distribution system and ensure that essential commodities reach the intended beneficiaries without leakage, corruption, or delay.
United News of India
13 hours ago
- United News of India
Wave of development has reduced Naxal menace to less than 20 districts: PM
Bhubaneswar, June 20 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that Naxalism will soon be completely eradicated from the country, crediting his government's developmental push in tribal areas for the decline in extremist violence. Addressing a gathering on the occasion of the BJP government's first anniversary in Odisha, the Prime Minister said that before 2014, more than 125 tribal-majority districts across India were impacted by Naxalite violence. He pointed out that these tribal regions were long unfairly labeled as part of the 'Red Corridor' and had been neglected by previous governments, which declared them backward and left them behind. 'In the last few years, our government has worked to bring tribal communities out of a climate of violence and onto a path of development,' Modi said. 'We have taken strict action against those who spread violence, and simultaneously, launched a new wave of development in these areas.' As a result, he stated, the influence of Naxalism has now been reduced to fewer than 20 districts across the country. Expressing confidence, Modi said that with the current pace of development and enforcement, tribal areas will soon be entirely free from the shadow of violence. 'This is Modi's guarantee,' he declared. The Prime Minister emphasised that empowering tribal communities, fulfilling their aspirations, and easing their hardships remains a top priority for his government. He highlighted that for the first time, two major national schemes have been launched specifically for tribal development, with a combined outlay exceeding Rs1 lakh crore. Modi elaborated on the first initiative — Dharati Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, under which development work is on in more than 60,000 tribal villages across India. "In Odisha too," he noted, "we are building houses for tribal families, constructing roads, and providing electricity and clean drinking water." Discussing the second major scheme, PM Janman Yojana, the Prime Minister said the inspiration for the initiative came from Odisha itself, and acknowledged the guidance of the country's first tribal woman President, Droupadi Murmu, in shaping the program. He said the scheme focuses on supporting Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and that development work worth hundreds of crores is currently being carried out in remote tribal hamlets under this scheme. UNI DP SSP
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Will delaying the Census affect its implementation?
On June 16, the Registrar General of India under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification that India's population will be counted in 2027. Following demands by the Opposition parties, among other reasons, the government has also announced the inclusion of caste enumeration in the Census for the first time in independent India. The last Census was held in 2011. The exercise was to take place in 2021, but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has now been further pushed to 2027. Will delaying the Census affect its implementation? Sanjay Kumar and Poonam Muttreja discuss the question in a conversation moderated by Vijaita Singh. Edited excerpts: Was the Census deliberately delayed? Sanjay Kumar: The Census should have taken place in 2021, but that was the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since everything was stalled in 2020 and we were under a strict lockdown for a good part of that year, the Census could not take place. Do you see any political reasons for the further delay? Do you think the government wanted to time it with the delimitation exercise, which is frozen till 2026? Sanjay Kumar: I don't have an explanation for this delay. The pandemic was over by mid-2022. By the end of 2022, universities had opened, schools had gone back to a normal routine, and everyone had started going back to office. The delay for nearly three years after that is frankly inexplicable. I'm not sure why the government did not take the initiative earlier. I don't think it is because of the delimitation exercise, because every time delimitation takes place, the exercise uses the previous Census data. So the government could have began conducting the Census in 2023 as well. Even if it did start conducting the exercise in 2025, it would have made no difference to the work of delimitation. Can you tell us about the implications of a delayed Census? Poonam Muttreja: The delay has serious consequences for governance and development. India continues to use Census data from 2011 data in 2025. The ground reality has changed dramatically since 2011. Population growth, internal migration, urbanisation, and fertility patterns have all accelerated/changed. But policy continues to run on outdated assumptions. The delay effects nearly every sector. School enrolment projections are inaccurate. Vaccine coverage targets have missed the mark. Social welfare programmes such as PDS (public distribution system) and MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) cannot adjust to the actual population needs. The delay also affects disaster preparedness and infrastructure planning. This is going to be the first digital Census in India. Are there any concerns about that? Poonam Muttreja: Digitisation can bring in efficiency, reduce manual error, and allow faster data processing. But a fully digital Census also risks excluding the very people who are the hardest to reach, such as those in rural households and informal settlements, those belonging to marginalised communities, and women. They may not have smartphones, stable electricity, or digital access. Take women, for instance — only 33% of rural women use the Internet. Among women in low income households, mobile phone ownership is significantly low. A 'digital first' approach without safeguards could reinforce the existing gender bias. To succeed, this Census must retain door-to-door in-person enumeration, especially in areas that are difficult to access. The enumerators must be trained to work with diverse populations in regional languages and have an inclusive approach. Technology should support, not replace, the human engagement that is essential for collecting accurate data. The government is yet to announce any decision regarding the National Population Register (NPR), which is the first step towards the creation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC). In the 2021 Census, it was planned to be updated with the first phase of the Census. Do you think if the two are combined — the NPR and population Census — it may impact the process because of the controversies and fears around the NPR? Sanjay Kumar: If you are trying to do one piece of work and then you combine it with other work, there is a possibility of both getting tampered with. Things could get delayed, jumbled, and some information could get misrepresented. But do you see the Centre not going ahead with the NPR so that the Census is done in a hassle-free manner? Sanjay Kumar: I would be in favour of getting the Census done separately because we should not forget that this is being undertaken after a very long time — 16 years! This is the first time that caste enumeration is also taking place as part of the Census. So a new element is already there. Why overburden the enumerators? How difficult or easy will it be for the government to collect data on caste? In the Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011, around 40 lakh caste names were thrown up. There were instances of people writing their surnames instead of their community names. It was based on self-disclosure. What methodology do you think the government should follow to make the process robust? Sanjay Kumar: If we are raising questions about caste data, we can raise questions about the collection of other information as well. If people can answer questions about their assets, age, gender, and education, why should there be any difficulty in answering questions about caste? But yes, training is important. If we are able to train our enumerators well, the respondents will be able to answer most of the questions. The enumerators need to know that Varma, for instance, is a surname, not a caste. If a respondent mentions this surname as their caste, the enumerators will have to ask a follow-up question. Poonam Muttreja: Asking about a person's caste is not going to be difficult. The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government conducted a caste census nearly a decade ago, but never released the data. I think homework needs to be done well when we collect data on caste. Enumerators must understand all the caste sub-categories. Unless they themselves are well informed, they are not going to be able to deal with erroneous answers or inappropriate answers. Why do you think Census is important for a country? Poonam Muttreja: The world is changing rapidly and so many things are uncertain. In such a scenario, the Census is the most important aspect to consider in not only planning and policymaking, but also in the allocation of resources. It helps us understand how climate change is impacting us, changing population dynamics, and patterns of digitisation. In India, to understand the rapid increase in urbanisation and migration patterns, we need numbers. We also know that India is an ageing society. The number of aged people is going to nearly double in the next 20 years. You can't let people age and then start planning. So given the rapidly changing environment, planning, allocation of resources, targeting the poor and targeting those who are marginalised are all objectives. In fact, the whole purpose of having a caste census is to invest in the most marginalised communities. Do you think the government should consider reducing the 10-year period for conducting the Census so that we can have faster and more accurate data about these changes in society? Sanjay Kumar: Conducting the Census is a tedious, time-consuming process. It cannot happen overnight. The Census is not merely about counting the number of people. The government's policy formulation depends on the information collected during a Census. The large amount of information gathered is valuable for the government to implement various kinds of policies. We may feel that the government can do this every five years, but it is more appropriate to do it every 10 years. But we should make sure that the Census takes place on time and there is no break in between.
