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Issues in accessing Food Coupon


On 27th April, 2020, we have wrote a complaint letter to the District Magistrate, North 24 Parganas, New Administrative Building, expressing our concern in reference to the Government Order vide memo No:1224-FS/O/Sectt/IT-19/2018 dated 31.03.2020, mentioning the provision to offer Food Coupons to ration card holders yet to receive their physical cards through postal service. It has come to our notice that a significant portion of the population residing in the Naihati area has not been able to benefit from the above mentioned Government Order. Below is the letter sent to the District Magistrate, North 24 Parganas, New Administrative Building. (to preview letter, click here)


To,                                                                                                                     Date: 27/04/2020
Smt. Chaitali Chakrabarti
District Magistrate, North 24 Parganas
New Administrative Building
Barasat, North 24-Parganas, Kolkata - 700124

SUB: Persistent issues in accessing Food Coupons
Dear Madam,

This is in reference to the Government Order (No:-1224-FS/O/Sectt/IT-19/2018) mentioning the provision to offer food coupons to ration card holders yet to receive their physical cards through postal service. It has come to our notice that a significant portion of the population residing in the Naihati area has not been able to benefit from the above mentioned Government Order. Inspite of possessing the receipted copies of the application for digital ration cards, the people have not been able to receive food coupons, facilitating their access to entitlements guaranteed under the public distribution system. Details of a few ration card holders deprived of food coupons, who also happen to be our network members have thus been declared for your reference:
Head of the family
Members in the family
No. of  Ration card(s)
Areas in Naihati (Ward No. 6 and Ward No. 3)
Barcoded Ration card number
Gopal Shaw
13
6
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
11-801694-19-005261

Binod Basfor
5
5
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
-
Anil Choudhary
4
1
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
-
Bijay Choudhary
5
2
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
11-801694-18-001337

Ranjit Basfor
6
1
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
11-801694-19-005973

Santosh Shaw
5
3
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
11-801694-19-001258

Nepal Hadi
7
7
85, Bastampara Patrsan Road
11-801694-19-011734

Dilip Choudhary
4
3
86/1, Bastampara Patrsan Road
-
Pradip Choudhary
5
4

-
Dipak Choudhary
7
4
83, Bastampara Patrsan Road
11-801694-19-007098

Maya Shingh
2
2
37, Bastampara Patarshan Road
11-801694-19-011197
Gita Shing
3
3


Jitendar Ram
5
5
22, Bastampara Patarsan Road
11-801694-19-018169

Kamala Harjan
4
4
22, Bastampara Patarsan Road
11-801694-19-013354

Jogindar Harjan
2
2
22, Bastampara Patarsan Road
11-801694-19-013354
Jhumpa Harjan
2
2
22, Bastampara Patarsan Road
11-801694-19-013558
Rina Shaw
3
2
22, Bastampara Patarsan Road
11-801694-19-011528
Sarita Debi
4
4
22, Bastampara Patarsan Road
11-801694-19-015977
Akhtar Ali
2
2
Banak Para Road
11-80694-19-006122
MD Nasim
6
2
Banak Para Road
11-801694-19-006851
Md Rafi Ahmed Ansari
6
5
Banak Para Road
11-80169-19-003293
Saraswati Kahar
3
3
Banak Para Road
11-80169-19-005155

Salma Khatoon
3
3
Banak Para Road
11-801694-17-030487

Asgar Ali
2
2
Banak Para Road
11-804694-19-008201
Asraf Ali
4
3
Banak Para Road
11-801694-19-008201
Amir Ansari
2
2
Banak Para Road
11-801694-19-005981




























































The Government Order also mentions about doorstep delivery of such food coupons which is yet to be implemented. The nationwide lock down has affected the monthly income of a large number of households and the people deprived of their entitlement(s) through the public distribution system are facing a situation of extreme distress. Hence, the network urges your office to take immediate steps in ensuring that the deserving citizens receive their entitlements within a shortest possible time frame, in these present circumstances.
We would like to state in particular that there needs to be sustained efforts to effectively reach the eligible households with food coupons inspite of possessing the barcoded receipted copies. We appreciate the efforts taken by your esteemed office to ensure the supply of food grains to the Fair Price Shops (FPS) under the jurisdiction of DDR Barrackpore during the lock down period and hope that required steps to address the grievances will be initiated at the earliest.
Thanking you, in anticipation of favourable reply from your end.
Yours Faithfully,

 Anuradha Talwar, Fr. Jothi S.J, Tapojay Mukherjee & Pawan Baxla
(On Behalf of Right to Food and Work Network, West Bengal)

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