Nearly 20 lakh beneficiaries under Jharkhand’s green ration card scheme are grappling with anxiety and uncertainty as they await ration for seven months, spanning March to September. While the government distributed food grains for October, the backlog remains unresolved, and it is unlikely to be cleared before February 2025.
The delay stems from multiple factors, including a severe drought last year that significantly impacted paddy production in the state. Jharkhand’s government had set a target of procuring six lakh metric tonnes of paddy, but only 1.70 lakh metric tonnes could be purchased due to the shortfall in production.
Efforts to secure grain from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) also failed as the corporation refused to supply the needed quantity. Subsequently, the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections further delayed tendering processes, leading to a cumulative backlog of seven months.
Umashankar Singh, Secretary of Food Supply, stated that an action plan is now in place to address the issue. “An action plan has been made to clear the backlog. It is being implemented and reviewed every month. Soon, the outstanding ration will be supplied to the beneficiaries,” Singh assured.
To expedite the process, the department is considering a phased approach by supplying three months’ worth of pending ration every month. However, a final decision on this strategy is yet to be made.
The delay has left green ration card holders, many of whom are economically vulnerable, struggling to meet their basic needs. Beneficiaries under the scheme receive five kilograms of grain per individual at the subsidised rate of Rs 1 per kilogram.
A resident of Ranchi, Meena Devi quoted in media, expressed her distress, saying, “We depend on this ration for survival. The delay has forced us to borrow from neighbours and buy expensive grains from the market. It’s becoming unbearable.”
The Jharkhand government launched the State Food Security Scheme in January 2021 to provide affordable grains to economically disadvantaged families not covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Initially, the scheme catered to around 15 lakh beneficiaries, but the number has since risen to 20 lakh. The state funds the scheme independently, purchasing grains to distribute among the green ration card holders.
The government has acknowledged the issue and is working to resolve the backlog. However, the delays have raised concerns about the state’s preparedness to handle food security challenges. With elections over and a structured action plan in place, there is hope that the pending ration will be delivered in a timely manner.
