The Centre has asked States and Union Territories to identify persons with disabilities (PwD) eligible under the National Food Security Act, 2013 and issue ration cards to those left out. The directive comes ahead of the August 31 deadline for the special scheme for providing ration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry wrote to all chief secretaries on August 26, reiterating the instructions issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on August 22 to all State/UT Food and Civil Supplies secretaries to identify PwD.
In her letter to all chief secretaries, Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of PwD in the Social Justice Ministry Shakuntala Gamlin said since the Atmanirbhar Bharat package would lapse on August 31, PwD eligible under the NFSA should be identified “in a time bound manner”.
She added that the Delhi High Court was monitoring the matter in connection with a petition filed by the National Federation of the Blind seeking free ration for PwDs.
In the August 22 letter, the Department of Food and Public Distribution reiterated that “disability is one of the criteria for the inclusion of beneficiaries” under the NFSA. The Department said PwD not already covered should be identified and given fresh ration cards.
“Atmanirbhar Bharat package of the Government of India is for persons who are not covered under either NFSA or any State Scheme PDS cards. Hence, disabled persons without ration cards are also eligible...,” the letter said.
However, the Department added that the scheme, which began in May for those who did not have ration cards, was yet to benefit people.
“It is understood that the ration lifted so far has not been utilised by the States for distributing to eligible beneficiaries without ration cards, including the disabled. States are requested to undertake proactive steps in this regard,” the letter stated.
At a meeting called by the Department of Food and Public Distribution to review the impact of the measures taken during the pandemic on August 28, activists raised concerns over the implementation of the scheme with regard to PwD.
One of the activists who attended the meeting, Anjlee Aggarwal, the executive director of the NGO Samarthyam and a member of the civil society organisations-standing committee of NITI Aayog, said she had raised the issue of the eligibility criteria for PwD to be included under NFSA. She said the criteria should be reviewed to ensure no one is left behind.
Ms Aggarwal said PwD should have a single window facility for getting ration cards so they don’t have to visit multiple places for submitting documents and verification.
“The Atmanirbhar Bharat package should be extended for at least two more months so that persons with disabilities who are still not listed should be listed with support from State social welfare departments and State commissioners for PwDs,” she said.