TNN | Feb 25, 2015, 03.54AM IST
KOLHAPUR: Around 5,000 women from across the district participated in a morcha organised by the Ration Bachao Samiti demanding regular supply of foodgrain at ration shops through the public distribution system (PDS). They also demanded cancellation of direct transfer of subsidy into the bank account of beneficiaries, saying that many poor people who do not have bank accounts or Aadhaar cards will not benefit from the scheme.
Chandrakant Yadav, leader of the samiti said, "We voted the Narendra Modi government to power hoping that he will take steps to ensure that all the poor people, including workers and farmers who are mostly dependent on the PDS, will get foodgrain cheap. But, instead of preventing irregularities in the system, the government is ensuring that the least number of people come under the scheme to reduce the burden of subsidies."
"From 2008, we were agitating for foodgrain for all through the PDS which resulted in the central government passing the Food Security Bill. We are not against linking the Aadhaar card with the ration card or modernisation of the PDS so that the right people will get the benefit. But that does not mean reducing the quantity of foodgrain that people get under the system. We want 10kg of foodgrain per person which is 5kg per person now. We also want sugar through the PDS as it was done previously," Yadav said.
DN Patil, another member of the samiti said, "In 2013, the BJP organised agitations for food security bill and foodgrain for all. Now, after coming to power, instead of providing more foodgrain through the PDS to serve the motive of the Food Security Act, the government is reducing the customer base."
Pushpa Raj Deshmukh, state president of the All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation said, "Along with the demands of the people, the government should consider our long-pending demands also that include increase in transportation and supply commissions which have been stable since 2001. All the ration shop holders in the state are supporting the agitation and will participate in the next rally that would be organised at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on March 2 and at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi."
On Tuesday, the rally began from Mirajkar Tikti around 12pm and reached the collector's office via Binkhambi Ganesh mandir, Mahadwar road and Maharana Pratap chowk. The delegation of the Ration Bachao Samiti submitted a memorandum of their demands to the district supply officer Vivek Agawane who assured them to convey their message to the higher authorities.