Mira Bhayandar: Shiv Sena Legislator Pays Surprise Visit to Ration Office Amidst Complaints of Corruption

Mira Bhayandar: Alarmed by the increasing number of complaints received from citizens regarding brazen corruption and the presence of touts, Shiv-Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik made a surprise visit to the rationing office located below the flyover-bridge connecting the east and west sides of Bhayandar on Monday.

The lone establishment that caters to the needs of nearly two lakh citizens in the twin-city, the rationing office (41F) mainly handles tasks such as issuing new ration cards, deleting and adding names, and making changes to existing cards.

Complaints against the ration office

In addition, the office apart keeps control over the fair price shops to ensure effective distribution of quality food grains and other commodities falling under the public distribution system (PDS). However, it has been alleged that on-duty staffers harass citizens, make them wait endlessly, force them to make repeated visits and give indications that bribing hastens the procedure. “I have been receiving several complaints regarding the prevailing malpractices and brazen presence of middlemen in the ration office. During my surprise visit, officials failed to give satisfactory replies to questions posed about the ongoing anomalies. While perfectly legitimate applicants were kept on hold, touts facilitated cards by charging anywhere between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000. I have given them a first and final warning to mend their ways or face action in the form of suspensions,” said Sarnaik.

Notably, the touts quietly sneaked away as the legislator walked into the office. There are around 80,000 orange card holders, followed by 50,000 and 1,300 white and yellow card holders registered with the ration office which operates with a staff strength of 20 employees including-rationing officer, assistant rationing officer, inspectors and data entry operators. The office dispenses an average of ten new ration cards on a daily basis.

“I have officially intimated the food and civil supplies minister about the prevailing anomalies in ration card related work and substandard quality of food grains supplied by the FPS,” said Sarnaik.