The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Discrepancies in ration cards alleged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 27, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Discrepancies in ration cards alleged

Ramesh Susarla

Applications pending with MRO

TUMULURU (GUNTUR DT): A person having 40 cents of land has an income of Rs.25,000 annually, going by the facts mentioned on his ration card, which is one the examples of how proposed visit of an important functionary could make people suffer if not benefit them.

There are more than hundreds of applications pending with the Mandal Revenue Officer of Kollipara from this small village of 6,000 households for the past one year, but with the proposed visit of United Progressive Alliance Chairperson officials are issuing some ration cards. The photographs and iris scanning was done more than 18 months ago.

Financial status

Some issued in the recent past are of no use to the residents/farmers of the village as the details mentioned there were totally wrong and do not reflect true financial status of the card holder, which does put him in a disadvantage rather than accruing any benefit to him/her.

Born here in 1933 and surviving on his meagre income from a 3-acre plot Chaganti Venkata Subba Reddy, does not expect any special benefits from the Government through the ration card, but is worried about medical expenses.

“While my actual income is little above Rs.15,000 it has been noted as Rs.50,000 not entitling me to any free medical treatment in my old age,” Subba Reddy lamented.

The card and application form shown by him was proof enough that some manipulation was done while making the card. Originally income was noted as Rs.5,000 in blue ink, while it was corrected to Rs.50,000 by putting an additional ‘zero’ with black ink.

This is not a solitary incident, but many others also complained of similar changes. In case of Bheemavarapu Krishna Reddy, he owns only .4 acres of land on which an income of Rs.25,000 has been recorded and his protest met deaf ears.

Aramalla Koti Reddy, who does not have more than Rs.10,000 income has been given pink card.

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