Arunachal: Commission seeks update on anomalies in PDS distribution in Padu village

Pasighat: Reacting to the recent news item published on the issue of PDS distribution anomalies in the Padu village under Mariyang Sub-Division in Upper Siang District, the Arunachal Pradesh State Food Commission in a WT message to Dy. Commissioner Yingkiong has sought a detailed update on the matter from Addl. Dy. Commissioner, Mariyang for further action from the commission.

The State Food Commission issued the WT message to DC Yingkiong on 12th February 12, 2023, based on the allegation of the 51 ration card holders including the FPS licensee from Padu village.

In their complaint against the official concerned, the 51 ration card holders of Padu village under Mariyang Sub-Division in Upper Siang District had alleged huge anomalies in the PDS rice distribution to new/fresh (89 families) and existing/old (51 families) while violating the norms in the selection of BPL ration card, etc.

In their statement, the ration card holders of 51 families alleged that their shares of rations (rice) were distributed to 89 new ration card holders even though new card holders are not yet recorded in the portal of the government.

Aggrieved 51 family members led by Sor Perme Tayeng, Gram Chairperson of Padu Upper had demanded stringent action against the erring officers like CO Mariyang (Mopom), DFCSO, and ADC Mariyang for their alleged involvement in depriving the designated and bonafide ration card holders.

In a press statement on Sunday Padu Upper Gram Panchayat Chairperson, Sor Perme Tayeng other aggrieved ration cards holders like Ojing Paron Perme (GPM), Smty Tigul Tayeng (GPM), ex-GPC Tonak Tayeng, ex-GPM Katon Tayeng, Ex-GPM Eding Perme and FPS licensee of Padu village, Gumin Tayeng had said that their share of ration for October, November, December 2023 and January 2024 was given to new and fresh ration card holders that were issued on January 8, 2024.

“Our ration cards are valid up to May 2024 and are still listed in the NFSA portal based on which rations are issued and released to each beneficiary. But instead of releasing the ration items to the listed and valid ration card, the CO Mariyang Mopom and DF&CSO have given our share of ration to new beneficiaries while depriving us”, said the aggrieved ration card holders.

As per the statements of the aggrieved ration card holders, they had lodged numerous complaints in the office of Dy. Commissioner, Yingkiong, ADC Mariyang, CO Mariyang (Mopom), and DF&CSO Yingkiong seeking amicable and corrective measures.

“We do not have any objection to the addition of new beneficiaries/ration cards from the village, but we are aggrieved over the deletion/removal of existing ration cards (51 families) by the concerned authorities despite our ration card being valid up to May 2024. Regarding the revision and re-selection of ration card beneficiaries, we submitted our claim & objection to the ADC Mariyang on 21st September 2023 before the expiry of 10 days notice issued by the CO-cum-Chairperson, Beneficiaries Selection Committee (i/c ADC Mariyang) on 14th September 2023. Based on our complaint we were summoned to appear before her (CO-cum-i/c ADC) on September 23, 2023, where CO simply denied to recall the Beneficiaries Selection Committee’s meeting minutes that took place on August 30, 2023. We had appealed to the Chairperson (CO Mopom) to reconsider the complete deletion/cancellation of the existing 51 ration cards which were valid up to May 2024. But instead of responding to our claim and objection, CO Mariyang (i/c ADC) shouted and misbehaved upon us and challenged us to forward the revised list of 89 fresh applicants to the office of DFCSO Yingkiong for finalization of the new ration cards” said the aggrieved parties while providing evidences of voice records of the heated arguments.”

In another press statement on Sunday (in response to the recent reply of another party of new ration card beneficiaries of 89 families who had countered the earlier allegation in a press statement), the 51 aggrieved families have again alleged that the authorities concerned have added some APL members of Padu village like a wife of a teacher, Gaon burah, government contingency workers etc under BPL category just to let them get the benefits of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) mean for the poor families.

“We had opposed the fresh revision of ration cards as our cards were valid up to May 2024, also three GPMs having ration cards were not involved in the revision meeting of the Beneficiaries Selection Committee through all GPCs/GPMs were to be included in the committee. When we met Hage Lailang, DC Yingkiong, the DC had informed us that service men including Gaon Burah, contingency workers are not eligible for the BPL ration card. But in the new beneficiary list of 89 families, many ineligible APLs were included in the BPL list thereby violating the norms”, said Tonak Tayeng, Eding Perme, and Katon Tayeng.

Having no option left with them as the CO (Mopom)-cum-i/c ADC Mariyang) overlooked the claim & objection of the aggrieved party; they approached the Dy. Commissioner, Yingkiong on 6th October 2023 wherein they urged the DC to rectify the mistakes done by CO (i/c ADC Mariyang). The aggrieved party led by Tonak Tayeng, Eding Perme, Katon Tayeng, Karo Perme, and Anisang Tayeng in their letter to DC of 6th Oct’23 had cited several procedural lapses from the CO Mopom/Chairperson, Beneficiaries Selection Committee.

But despite the several complaints/approaches made to authorities for the correction of mistakes done in the PDS issue of Padu village, no corrective measures have been taken yet from the authorities concerned.

Hence intervention of the State Food Commission in the issue is likely to resolve the concern of the 51 aggrieved parties besides unearthing the mistake (if any, knowingly or unknowingly) done by the authorities concerned.

Meanwhile, Padu village FPS dealer, Gumin Tayeng has also alleged that 89 new ration card holders whose cards were issued on 8th January 2024 by Circle Officer,  Mopom on behalf of ADC Mariyang, have forcefully taken away the rice stored in his godown/storeroom by breaking the lock on 12th January 2024 during his absence.

“When I inquired, the 89 new ration card holders had said that they broke down the lock of the godown and took away the rice (without my knowledge) as per the instruction of the CO Mopom. Earlier on 10th January 2024 in a Sarkar Aapke Dwar programme held at our Padu village, I was verbally instructed by CO Mopom to release the rice to new beneficiaries. But since the supplied rice of four (4) months, i.e. for October & November (33.6 Qtl for PHH, 12.2 Qtl for AAY and 6 Qtl for On Cash Payment), December (9.45 Qtl for PHH, 4.55 Qtl for AAY and 1.5 Qtl for Cash On Payment) and January (9.45 Qtl for PHH, 4.55 Qtl for AAY and 1.5 Qtl for Cash On Payment) stored in the godown were not sufficient for distribution to 89 new beneficiaries as per the entitled ration to each cards and individuals besides for existing 51 beneficiaries whose cards are valid upto May 2024, I didn’t distribute the ration out of confusion. But within the next two days of CO Mopom’s verbal instruction, the 89 new beneficiaries forcefully broke down the lock of my godown on 12th January 2024 and took away the PDS rice bags. In this connection, I had lodged an FIR/complaint in the Mariyang PS also, but no action was taken by the police and the concerned authorities” added Gumin Tayeng sadly while providing video evidence of people lifting and carrying away rice bags from his FPS godown.”

It is important to refer the letter of i/c DF&CSO Yingkiong to ADC Mariyang/Tuting, EAC Geku/Jengging under Upper Siang District Vide Memo No. YKG/FPS/EPDS-01/2020-01 dated 31st October 2022, wherein the respective ADC/EAC was requested to issue necessary directions to the Gram Panchayat Chairpersons, Head Gaon Burahs, and FPS owners to sensitize the public and to ensure submission of Aadhar Card of every member of a ration card holder along with at least one phone number head of family.

Based on the letter of DF&CSO, the CO (Mopom) for ADC Mariyang, had issued a similar order to all FPS owners/HGBs/GBs of Mariyiang/Mopom circle for Aadhar seeding of ration cards. The Aadhar seeding of every ration card was necessitated under NFSA 2013 to delete/remove the duplicate beneficiaries. But there was no instruction/direction for a complete revision of ration cards by cancelling the valid and existing ones.

The concerned authorities of Upper Siang district dealing with PDS, especially, ADC Mariyang as District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO) or CO Mopom-cum-Chairperson, Beneficiaries Selection Committee ought to have done the addition by selecting fresh beneficiaries whosoever are eligible and are applying for ration cards without deleting/depriving the already existing and valid ration card holders whose cards were having validity till May 2024.