PANJIM: A panch from Merces Panchayat has claimed that a number of people eligible under the forms A and B of ration car subsidy are yet to avail benefits. Eligible families under forms A and B get subsidised rice at Rs 3 per kg as their annual income is less that Rs 50,000.
Speaking to Herald, Merces panch Walter D’Souza claimed that Directorate of Civil Supplies has stopped receiving applications from family with income below Rs 50,000. “In my ward around 50 such people approached me and told me that their applications were not accepted. Civil supplies department has stopped accepting the forms now claiming the deadline is over,” he said.
He further alleged that the State government had not created enough awareness about the benefits due to which the people failed to apply for it. “Form C, where applicant gets rice at Rs 9 per kg was very much advertised, but forms A and B were not brought to the notice of people,” he added.
When questioned Civil Supplies director Vikas Gaunekar said, “We have never stopped the procedure. If anyone wants to get benefits of it, they are free to come and apply for it.” He added that around 1.57 lakh applications were received by the department.
