Hyderabad: As a result of the shortage of staff at the Telangana Civil Supplies Department, the applications for the new ration cards are pending. Every day, many people are visiting the department in Hyderabad to know the status of the cards.
People have complained that the staff lacks efficiency in their work and even after submitting all the required documents they are taking a lot of time in the verification process. Even though the people are eligible for the new ration cards, the concerned officials are making them to visit the department numerous times.
Some of the persons suggest that the families which were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown should be issued new ration cards immediately so that they can purchase rice and other essentials from the ration shops.
It has been noticed that there is a lack of Mandal Revenue Inspectors to verify the application’s data. Many of the Rationing Officers and Supplies Inspectors posts are vacant for years.
A social activist, Mohammed Minhajuddin said that the government had decided to release the pending 4.97 lakh new ration cards but only 12,000 ration cards have been issued till now. He added that the government had planned to issue the new ration cards till the end of July but it seems it is not possible as of now.