TDP MLC P. Ashok Babu has asked the State government to revive the distribution of essential items under the public distribution system immediately for the benefit of the poor who have been struggling to make ends meet due to the second wave of COIVD-19.
In a letter to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday, Mr. Ashok Babu also stressed the need for resolving the problems of the ration vehicle operators and dealers.
Finding fault with the government’s approach, the TDP leader said that not even 10% ration was distributed so far.
The free ration announced by the Union government had been stopped for the last three days, he alleged. “The door delivery programme has badly hit over 30,000 ration dealers,” he said.
The government had spent ₹539 crore for procuring the mobile dispensing units, which were handed over to 9,260 unemployed youth tasked with door delivery of ration. Another ₹230 crore was being paid to them as wages.
“These unemployed youth have been turned into workers meant for handing over ration to the beneficiaries. They have been on strike for the last four days demanding COVID insurance, vaccine, masks and sanitisers,” the TDP leader said.
As the ration dealers were stripped off their work to pave way for the door delivery system, they were not ready to take part in ration distribution during the pandemic time, he said.
“The dealers are threatening to go on strike if the government pressurises them to distribute ration. The dealers are also upset as their login access has been removed and the e-Pass facility given to vehicle operators,” he said.
