CHENNAI: There was chaos at special camps held at ration shops throughout the city on Sunday as hundreds of residents affected by the flood found their names missing from list of beneficiaries eligible for Rs 6,000 assistance.
Confusion primarily arose due to the implementation of ‘one nation, one ration card’ initiative that allowed families to receive supplies from ration shops without changing their address even if they had moved in from other states or districts in Tamil Nadu.
According to official data, 1,785 fair price shops in Chennai city cater to 22.11 lakh family ration cards. Among them, 17.28 lakh have been deemed eligible for assistance, while 3.56 lakh have the option to apply for relief, subject to scrutiny by authorities. The list was prepared based on Aadhaar-linked data maintained by Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency. However, there was no clarity on the remaining 2.1 lakh cards which led to confusion at ration shops, sources said.
Chennai city comprises 19 civil supplies units, each serving 7,000 to 9,000 cards which are issued outside the city, mostly in neighbhouring districts. Approximately 1.5 lakh to two lakh card holders, despite residing in Chennai for a few years, have not updated their addresses, sources said. Additionally, residents whose names were removed from their family cards but are yet to receive new cards also thronged ration shops to submit applications. The most affected were people who had migrated to Chennai from Vellore, Villupuram, Kallakuruchi and Ranipet districts, and those in villages in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur that were not affected by the cyclone.
Chennai city gets the highest working class population from these neighbhouring districts. Often, people don’t change their residential address in ration cards and Aadhaar despite working and living in the city for years. S Rajathi, a 35-year-old who works as a domestic help in Korattur, told TNIE that she had been receiving entitlements through nearby fair price shops, but her name was not included in the list of beneficiaries.
“The card was issued in Walajah in Ranipet district. I have submitted my application along with the gas bill and Aadhaar number.” Another applicant, R Rohit, said his ground floor house in Pattaravakkam was flooded but he does not have a ration card. “Although most taluks in Tiruvallur district were included in the scheme, I have a card issued in Tiruttani, which was not affected by the cyclone. I have lost everything here. So, I have submitted an application providing a rental agreement,” he said.
The 3.56 lakh cardholders, who had the option to avail relief by submitting applications, were group A and B gazetted rank officers from both state and central governments, income tax assessees, and sugar drawing cardholders. An official who is deployed at a ration shop said, “In addition to those excluded by the government, the names of several others were not found in the list. We have distributed applications to everyone who reported that their houses were affected.”
Har Sahay Meena, Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, said, “Relief will be provided to everyone affected. The corporation and other agencies will conduct inspections before processing such applications. Applicants’ biometrics will be verified to ensure their credentials.”