TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Even as a ruling BJP legislator Michael Lobo expressed disappointment over government’s inaction to crack down on the fake ration card holders ~ mostly migrants ~ the minister said that lack of manpower was the reason that no inquiry was conducted or action taken in this regard.
However an inquiry conducted last year says that there are no such cases, government said.
Lobo told the Legislative Assembly that Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals were illegally living in the coastal belt by procuring duplicate ration cards from the State. He also expressed serious concern over migrants in Goa with dual ration cards.
“For Rs 5,000 each, around 500-600 migrants were sold ration cards (during the previous government’s tenure). Many Nepalese and Bangladeshis have obtained the ration cards, and they also retain ration cards of their native states,” he claimed, demanding that immediate action be taken into the allegedly illegal procurement of cards.
“It happened over last seven years (before 2012 elections). How did these migrants obtain ration cards when their original cards at their native places are not cancelled?” he questioned. “What is the result of the inquiry agreed to by the government (during the monsoon session) in the last one year?”
Minister for Civil Supplies Dayanand Mandrekar responding to the question said his department does not have enough manpower to conduct case to case study of the illegality by visiting door to door.
He read out an inquiry report conducted by the local body on November 29, 2012, which said that there were no such cases.
Mandrekar said the talathis were instructed by the mamlatdars to inquire into the matter. “There are no specific inputs. Even I agree (on existence of bogus ration cards) but I am helpless. Our officials are overburdened and staff shortage is an issue,” he said insisting on specific cases and locality.
He reiterated throughout his reply that revenue officials, attached to the department are busy with the revenue matters, having no time for cross checking bogus cards.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar intervening in the discussion said that the nuisance can be eradicated by issuance of electronic ration cards, the process of which will begin soon. “During this process, the bogus ration cards issued during last 5-7 years can be scrutinized. Everything will be exposed,” he assured.
He said that those Indians who are living here and owning two ration cards ~ one being in their native state, will be identified during the process to introduce electronic ration cards. He said, if they have not cancelled their cards in the native state, they will be asked to do it.
To apprehensions raised by the local MLA that these migrants were brought during the last general assembly elections when Congress was voted to power, Parrikar said the matter will be inquired.
“We will insist that earlier history of the migrants is verified before granting them ration cards… Bogus ration cards will be doubly scrutinized,” he said.
To a demand for separate department with officials to deal with this issue, the Chief Minister assured to increase the strength of mamlatdars’ staff for dealing only with office matters while other set of mamlatdars will deal with field job.
Earlier during the discussion, Mandrekar had said that mamlatdars in his constituency are often in the meetings in Panjim which is one reason why major works are delayed. “The entire system is horrible,” he commented.
