Many people in Hyderabad who applied for ration cards were rejected, including a lot of migrants and unorganised workers. About 40-50% of the 1,06,818 rejected cardholders are in this group. The Supreme Court said over a month ago that all migrants and unorganised workers should be given ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) using the e-Shram portal. But in Telangana, this still hasn’t happened. Social activists are asking the government to get moving on issuing these important cards. Without them, people can’t access the benefits they need.
SQ Masood is one of these activists. He’s worried that the registration process for new cardholders still hasn’t started even though the Supreme Court ordered it on April 20. Since Telangana was formed, the government hasn’t given out permanent ration cards to people who need them. In 2016, over 100,000 applications were rejected without any inspection, and many of these were from migrants and unorganised workers. Nothing has really changed since then.
Maria Arifuddin is another activist who thinks that everyone who needs it should be able to access the Public Distribution System (PDS). The government should make it easier for migrant and unorganised workers to get ration cards without having to jump through lots of hoops.
R Anil is one of the people who applied for a ration card and was rejected. He’s frustrated that even after the Supreme Court said he should get one on the e-Shram portal, nothing has happened. He’s asked officials over and over again but hasn’t got anywhere.
