The Odisha State Food Commission has expressed strong displeasure over the State government’s failure to strike off names of ‘dead beneficiaries’ promptly from the public distribution system.
The OSFC had directed deletion of names of beneficiaries who were dead from the PDS, saying it was a matter of serious concern that some districts were not sincere in detecting such names from the ration cards and final priority list (FPL).
“Consequently, as a matter of routine, ration is being issued in favour of such dead persons at the cost of households in the waiting list for the last so many months,” OSFC chairperson Ranglal Jamuda had said while setting a target of deletion of names of 2 lakh dead beneficiaries from the list.
In his latest letter to all District Collectors, Mr. Jamuda said, “Only 20,839 dead beneficiaries have been detected of whom only 19,586 have been deleted from the ration cards and FPL... not a single dead beneficiary was detected in the district of Malkangiri between December 2018 and January 2019.”
Written explanation
Wondering that not a single beneficiary had died in Malkangiri between October 2018 and January 2019, he said, “The district civil supply officer should explain in writing as to why such an important task is being neglected thoroughly.”
The OSFC chairperson also made a scathing observation on the sluggish proceedings.
He said: “Thousands of households are being assisted under the Harischandra Sahayata Yojana (financial assistance to the poor and destitute for conducting the last rites of their family member) almost on each day through the sarpanch of the gram panchayat concerned at the rate of ₹2,000 per person.”
“The gram panchayats are seeking reimbursements from the BDOs on a monthly basis. Therefore, the BDOs must not fail in deleting the names of dead beneficiaries for whom the families have been assisted through the GPs,” he said.
Mr. Jamuda directed the Collectors to ensure that no ration is issued in favour of dead beneficiaries in future. The State government is authorised under the National Food Security Act, 2013, to assist 3,26,41,800 persons through priority household and Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration cards.