Food Security

A complaints redress session was held with the PCMC Zonal Ration Officer on March 7, 2014 to address the many problems with the ration scheme. Waste pickers registered their complaints about how the Public Distribution System scheme is being subverted by the shopkeepers and other vested interests to deprive the poor of their quotas of food grains. Complaints were put forth of ration cards not being stamped (rendering them invalid) or being taken away for stamping and not returned or returned but as a different category card; shopkeepers were overcharging and/or giving lower quantities than were due (a family of 5 should get 25 kg but shopkeepers were giving only 15); no receipts; loutish, rude shopkeepers who abused the women, mishandled their cards and treated with a complete lack of respect; no consistency of timings – most ration shops are to be open in a morning and evening slot, and it is the evening slot after work when most waste pickers collect their rations not open but many shops don’t bother to open in the evening. The Zonal Ration Officer listened with empathy and sincerely assured us that he would look into and rectify the grievances.