3-month Ration Distribution: Frenzy at FPS, a Fallout of the Fuel Crisis

Hyderabad: Large queues have become a common sight at the Fair Price Shops (FPS) as beneficiaries thronged the shops to buy three months of rice being supplied in one go. According to an estimate, nearly 10 per cent of the stock was sold within two days.

People complained about standing in line for long hours in sweltering temperatures. Ration shop dealers, however, blame the process of authenticating the sale transaction through OTP for the inordinate delay.

“People are standing here for hours. We are unable to cope with the rising temperatures this noon. The ration shop dealer blames the mobile application, the authentication process and the reduced speed of the server. Since each cardholder needs authentication thrice, the dealer has urged us to return some other day,” says P Rammurthy, a resident of Saidabad standing in a queue at Santoshnagar’s FPS.

On the second day, 10.17 lakh out of a total of 1.05 crores cardholders have already received 3-months of sanna biyyam through around 1,000 PDS shops. The ration shop dealers found that, unlike the previous year, there was panic buying amongst the beneficiaries owing to uncertainty in the wake of the unfolding fuel crisis.

Some people blame the frenzy on the ongoing fuel crisis, rumours of lockdown and the feared shortage of essential commodities in the coming days.

“People remain apprehensive about the possibility of diesel supply being hit this month. Through word of mouth and social media, it has spread widely. Hence, they are coming in swarms in panic,” observed a dealer in the Malakpet area, requesting anonymity.

Civil supplies department officials monitoring the situation urged the beneficiaries not to panic and avail the portability facility and receive ration from shops with fewer people, and said they have ample supply of ration at FPS.

“We have been making field visits ever since the latest round of commodity distribution began, and requesting people not to panic, as we have ample stocks. The beneficiaries may receive the rice till the end of April,” said a higher official to DC.

Officials said that they are ensuring outlets in all the districts are clearing the stocks as planned, but challenges remain with the digital transactions.

Commenting on the delay in transactions, the official noted that one cannot say the delay is because of digital transactions, as this is the only way the transaction gets updated and gets recorded all across the administrative domain. “This remains the best practice for years. Since there are three transactions to be made for each card, this obviously may take some time,” he added.