Jhumpura: Poor internet network has caused a lot of problems for both beneficiaries and retailers in disbursal of subsidy food under NFSA in hilly and tribal-dominated areas of Jhumpura in Keonjhar.
Locals of these areas are unable to use a mobile phone which is a necessity due to the absence of a mobile tower in the area. In this situation, ration distribution through online system has raised questions about the geographical and infrastructural idea of the government.
To bring transparency and accountability in the Public Distribution System (PDS), the Central government had started smart ration cards scheme under NFSA-2013. Under the scheme, one has to use E-POS machine to take ration. The E-POS machines are based on a biometric system. The registered beneficiaries after marking their fingerprints on the E-POS machine will get a slip and based on that they can take their rations from the retailer.
Though the government is claiming that the E-POS machines are consumer friendly, in some cases they create problems for the beneficiaries.
Sources said the E-POS machines are not working in some panchayats of the block. Kutugaon panchayat is one of them.
Once in every two months both retailers or PEO or GRS and beneficiaries are found climbing up hilly or higher places with the E-POS machine and laptop in search of internet network. The spot where the network signals are strong; there the retailer takes the fingerprints of the beneficiaries and gives them the registered slip. They draw their rations after producing the slip at the panchayat office.
Most of the residents in various panchayats come under below poverty line (BPL). More than 1,000 of residents of these panchayats come under NFSA.
As the villages are surrounded by jungles and hills, internet and mobile communication is a dream for the villagers.
Expressing resentment, the beneficiaries said the previous offline scheme of PDS was convenient for them. But after the introduction of the new online system they have to climb more than five km in the hills to get the internet and the registered slip from the E-POS machine.
Their woes do not end there. After receiving the slip, they have to walk about 12 km in the forest to reach the panchayat office and get their rations.
When the Panchyat Executive Officer (PEO) Pramila Khamari and GRS Jagannath Sandilya were asked about the travails of the beneficiaries, they said they were only following the orders of the higher authorities. As the communication tower is 7 km far, the internet is available on the hilltop only, they pointed out.
PDS Executive Officer Sarita Mirdha and BDO Jayshree Beura said: “We will take measures to streamline the PDS.”
PNN