To get the ration supply system in Netravali online, disbursement has to go ‘offline’

SANGUEM: The people of Netravali are in the process of making clear choices. To get rations delivered to people from the remotest villages, devoid of internet, roads and electricity, there is a call to revert back to the old fashioned way of distributing rations. As Herald had reported, the biometric system of identifying beneficiaries through their finger prints is a non-starter. People walk almost 18 kms from villages like Saljini, thought the wildlife sanctuary to Netravali, only to find the biometric system not working due to internet and/or power failure.

 The panchayat is with the people. With the villagers being at the receiving end on that count and with no solace being provided by the government; the Deputy Sarpanch of Netravali village Abhijit Dessai called for permitting the society, which runs the Fair Price Shop, to distribute ration quota on an offline basis.

Dessai stated that the Civil Supplies Department does have the provision to permit the Fair Price Shop owner to distribute the ration quota on an offline basis, as was done for some days, during the time when the COVID-19 crisis had come to fore.

For some days, the ration quota was distributed offline. The same procedure could have been continued at least for the time being in Netravali village, which is plagued with poor internet connectivity.

Unlike other villages, the situation at Netravali village is quite different. “The hilly areas as that of Verlem, Salgini and Tudov, which are sparsely populated are located around 18 kilometers away from the Fair Price Shop. These wards have no public transport facility except for lone KTC bus which makes only one trip to their wards. “Given the existing scenario coupled with very bad condition of the roads to these wards; making the villagers residing in these villages, make multiple trips to collect ration quota, is highly inappropriate,” said Dessai.

The Civil Supply Inspector attached to Sanguem office, Jeevan Manjrekar, admitted that Netravali village is facing internet connectivity issues. He added that his office has informed the department of the problem faced by the Netravali villagers with regard to the distribution of ration quota because of the poor internet connection.

Manjrekar also informed that since the last two days, there has been a server problem everywhere and this had affected the functioning of Fair Price Shops everywhere.

Joint Mamlatdar Sanguem, Ana Rita Paes, who is associated with overall functioning of Fair Price Shops in the taluka claimed that the problem of network issue in the State would be solved in the coming months. She did not, importantly, indicate by when this would be done and more importantly, how people in far-flung areas would get their rations till then.

Paes only informed that the government has already announced the Goa Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2020 and this will solve major issues concerning internet connectivity throughout Goa. It is unlikely that this explanation will mean much to a villager of Saljini, who has to walk 18 kilometres, if the lone bus doesn’t work to get this rations

Paes reiterated that it was on account of the server problem, the distribution of ration quota was affected for two days.

The ground reality in Netravali village is very different. While the officials claim the issue is temporary, long queues are seen on a daily basis outside the Fair Price Shop at Netravali village.  Many villagers said that this was the second day running that they travelled for long hours, only to spend the day standing waiting for their rations.