UP: After Backlash, Govt Says 'No Order’ for Surrender, Cancellation of Ration Cards

Lucknow: Facing severe backlash from the marginalised sections, the Opposition parties, civil society and various independent bodies, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday made it clear that “no new order” had been issued regarding surrender or cancellation of ration cards in the state. It also said recovery orders had not been issued — by the government or by the departments concerned.

 Sorabh Babu, commissioner, food and civil supplies, reacting to media reports, termed those as “false and misleading”, adding that ration card verification was a routine process that took place from time to time. He termed the reports as “baseless” regarding surrender of ration cards and new eligibility conditions.

Babu further clarified that the eligibility/ineligibility criteria of household ration cards were ascertained vide GO (government order) dated October 07, 2014 and no changes had been made since then. He said no cardholder could be declared ineligible on the basis of having a pucca house under the government scheme, electricity connection, owning sole weapon licence, cycle owner, poultry/cow and rearing farm.

“Similarly, as per the National Food Security Act, 2013 and other prevailing mandates, no provision of recovery from ineligible cardholders has been prescribed and no instructions have been issued from the government level or from the food commissioner’s office regarding recovery,” he said.

According to him, the department always issues new ration cards to beneficiaries according to their eligibility and from April 1, 2020 till now, a total of 29.53 lakh new ration cards had been issued to eligible beneficiaries.

The commissioner said orders were issued for verification of ration cardholders based on the eligibility criteria from time to time but reiterated that there was no change in criteria since 2014.

“Verification of ration cardholders is done from time to time to check eligibility based on the criteria. The person can on his own also surrender the card if he feels he has become in-eligible. For the cards so cancelled, new cards are issued to those eligible people demanding a ration card,” he added.

However, there is outrage in rural areas across the state regarding surrender of ration cards from “ineligible” cardholders. The district administrationd had issued orders that those who are ineligible should surrender their ration cards. If they don't follow the order, the administration would send recovery notices to those ineligible people who did not submit their ration cards by May 20 and may initiate legal action against them under provisions of NFS Act 2013. The recovery would be made as per the guidelines, the administration had said.

As a result, there was a competition to surrender the ration card across the state. In April alone, 43,000 people surrendered their ration cards. In May, the figure was supposed to cross last month's data.

According to the district supply officer Lucknow, over 1,520 ration card-holders in the state capital had surrendered their cards till May 17, fearing legal action.

“Around 1,520 people have surrendered their cards so far in Lucknow and the number is expected to rise. However, the verification is still on and ration card holders are being scrutinised to check their eligibility,” Sunil Kumar Singh, district supply officer (DSO), Lucknow, told mediapersons.

As per the Lucknow district supply office record, at present there are 7,86,218 ration cards in the state capital, covering around 31,18,110 units (people). Of the total ration card-holders, there are around 50,112 Antyodaya card-holders (covering around 1,51,317 people) and 736106 Priority House Hold (PHH) card-holders (covering around 6,34,901 people).

Now, the question arises that when no new order has been issued regarding surrender or cancellation of ration cards in the state by the government, how come the district administrations have issued orders for surrender of ration card by ineligible persons and to make recovery in case of non-receipt.

A munadi (public announcement) on behalf of the administration was done at different places in the districts. This issue was also widely reported in the media. As a result, people started making a beeline for supply offices to get their ration cards cancelled. Opposition parties also raised this issue vigorously. After this, the government had to issue an explanation.

A food rights activist based in Sonbhadra and Bundelkhand, who did not wish to be identified, said if government has not issued any order, why don’t they initiate legally action against their own officers who tried to malign their image by issuing a notice for surrender of ration cards by May 20 or face legal action?

Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, Samajwadi Party spokesperson, said, "It is nobody's case that well-off families should not get ration. But the government cannot backtrack from its promise to provide ration to all in the wake of COVID pandemic. It promised to provide ration to all the needy. I think the government is breaking its promise in the guise of ration card verification.”

He said the SP is demanding that ration cards should not b  cancelled as the past few years have been very difficult for most households. There is decreased income and other resources. Several youths have lost employment and the chances of finding new jobs are bleak. The prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing. Under these circumstances, it is unwise to cancel ration cards in the name of verification. People and their needs should be the first priority of the government,” Gandhi added.