THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could emerge as a fresh controversy, Food and Civil Supplies Minister GR Anil distributed Onam food kit directly to actor Maniyanpillai Raju after visiting his house here on Tuesday. Anil handed over the kit to the actor at his house on Bhagwati Lane at Jawahar Nagar as part of making Onam food kit distribution an eventful one. He was accompanied by civil supplies officials and the event was shared by the department on social media. However, a section of people criticised the minister’s gesture.
The distribution of Onam food kits started on July 31. The distribution of kits to Antyodaya Annayojana (yellow) ration card members who are poor and belong to the priority category was fixed till August 3. Anil had also issued an order in this regard. However, Raju comes under the non-priority non-subsidised white ration card category. The card is also in the name of his wife.
Normally, a white card holder or member cannot get the kit if they approach ration shops these days as the E-POS machine in the shops will reject the demand to allot kits them. The order also said the department had given permission to issue food kits to white card holders only from August 13.A senior civil supplies official said it was just a promotional event. “Since we cannot hold a big event due to the pandemic, we decided to conduct it a small one and get it shared on social media. Vested interests are creating a controversy”, the official said.
Raju later told mediapersons that he was informed earlier that the kit would be brought to his home as he was a celebrity. However, he made it clear that he would go to the ration shop and sign in the fingerprint in the E-POS machine.At present, bedridden patients and those who are ill could buy ration by assigning someone with self-declaration forms. The designated person (proxy) must be a cardholder or member of the applicant’s ration shop. This has to be approved by the taluk supply officer. Besides, E-POS machines were reportedly damaged at several ration shops in the state as many people crowded at shops to buy Onam food kits.
Earlier, a circular by the food and civil supplies department to click a photo and put up a poster of the distribution of the kits by including prominent persons of the area in all ration shops from Monday had also kicked up a row. As per reports, Anil had instructed all ration shops in this regard. However, some ration shop dealers opposed the move.