Despite Pongal dole, lakhs yet to convert PDS cards

Despite Pongal dole, lakhs yet to convert PDS cards

This is despite the cardholders given two weeks for applying conversion which ended on December 20. 

Published: 25th December 2020 05:37 AM 

By B Anbuselvan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: As many as 3.77 lakh families have decided to continue with their sugar ration cards, which will make them ineligible for Rs 2,500 cash and gift hamper announced by the State government for Pongal festival. Surprisingly, while the government has parked about Rs 100 crore additionally anticipating about 3.75 lakh sugar cards may get converted into rice cards to avail the cash benefit, only 1.96 lakh sugar card holders have applied for card changeover.

This is despite the card holders given two weeks for applying conversion which ended on December 20. 

The State has 49,472 cards which won’t get any commodities from ration shops. With this, a total of 4.19 lakh families won’t get the Pongal gift. A recently issued G.O. pegged the total expenditure for distributing Pongal gifts to 2.1 crore ration card holders at Rs 5,604.76 crore, which includes Rs 100 crore earmarked for 3.75 lakh sugar card holders.

Official sources from the Civil Supplies Department said many card holders might have shown reluctancy for conversion as they have to give up their privilege of higher quantities of sugar. The Non-Priority HouseHold - Sugar (NPHH - S) type cards which are called ‘sugar cards’ are eligible for all the commodities except rice. About 500 grams of sugar per head is given to all card holders subject to a maximum of 2 kg per month.

In addition, sugar cards are eligible for 500 gm per head additionally subjected to the maximum of 3 kg. “Though the government projected migration of 3.75 sugar cards to rice in view of Pongal gift, many seems to be not interested to give up their additional sugar,” sources said. A close look into the data has revealed that the total number of sugar cards which stood at 10.01 lakh in 2018 had come down to 5.73 lakh in 2019 and further plunged to 3.77 lakh as of December.

Sources said in view of possible legal embargo, the government has taken a policy decision that those who are eligible for free rice can be given a Pongal gift. Subsequently, it has announced a special drive conversion of the cards online. All those who applied for card conversion have been granted approval, said a senior official. The State government issues five types of ration cards, of which people belonging to below poverty line are given Priority HouseHold (PHH) and Priority HouseHold - Antyodaya Anna Yojana (PHH-AAY) cards as per the norms prescribed in National Food Security Act.

The remaining three types of cards issued as per the preferences of the families who are considered to be living above the poverty line. The expenses of commodities were fully funded by the State government.