THE Maharashtra State government has identified 7 crore population, 4.69 crore rural population and 2.30 urban population, as the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. The experience of these beneficiaries who have had their ration cards stamped as ‘priority families’ leaves much to be desired.

Every beneficiary is entitled to get 5 kgs of food grains at Rs 3 per kg rice and Rs 2 per kg wheat. But not a single shop in any district in Maharashtra is giving the entitled quota of food grains. The quality of food grains that are distributed is very poor. Ration shops are not opened regularly and the behaviour of the shop owners towards women is insulting. There is rampant diversion of the ration grains and kerosene to the blackmarket.

Although there have been Supreme Court orders stating that having a UID number is not mandatory to receive any government benefits, the Maharashtra government continues to insist on Aadhaar for each member of the household. Aadhaar cards for children aged 2 years are also being made compulsory.

These and many other related issues like stamping of ration cards for priority families, registration of names on the ration cards etc have been raised by AIDWA delegations in their discussions with government officials at the district and state level. The officials from Food and Civil Supplies department at the tehsil, district or state level have maintained that identification of all priority families has been completed and there is 100 percent supply of the required quota of food grains to the ration shops.

The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) held a state-level Jansunwai (public hearing) on October 27, in Mumbai on the problems being faced by women in Maharashtra while accessing their public distribution system (PDS) entitlements under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and expose the hollow proclamations of the Food and Civil Supplies department.

309 women from the districts of Mumbai, Solapur, Sangli, Thane-Palghar, Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik, Raigad and Satara came to the Jansunwai to share their experiences in accessing rations. They brought documentary proofs of non-availability of food grains. Samples of the bad quality of distributed food grains and Anganwadi THR food packets were also presented by the women.

In the introductory speech, AIDWA state secretary Sonya Gill explained some aspects of the NFSA, the situation of the PDS in Maharashtra and the reason for holding the Jansunwai.

The panellists for the Jansunwai consisted of the dean at the School of Development Studies of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences Dr R Ramakumar, senior journalist of the Times of India Priyanka Kakodkar and AIDWA vice-president Sudha Sundararaman.

The Food and Civil Supplies department had agreed to send their representative but fearing the wrath of the women, chose to stay away from the Jansunwai.

Depositions were made by one woman from each of the above districts and by an anganwadi worker. The problems faced by women that were clearly placed by the speakers were as follows – despite giving all necessary documents, many poor families have not been included in the ‘priority families’ list thereby denying them their right to cheap food grains; some shop keepers have arbitrarily cancelled beneficiaries; harassment to open bank accounts and make Aadhaar cards of every member of the family including small children and denial of food grains if this was not done; conversion of BPL ration cards of widows to an APL one on the death of the husband; ration shops not opened regularly; no action has been taken against black marketeers even when trucks carrying ration grains and kerosene have been caught by women and complaints registered; women being forced to take the poor quality food grains mixed with small stones, mud and insects distributed in some ration shops and the total failure of the biometric system. The dismal picture regarding the supply of tasteless food to be given to small children, lactating mothers and pregnant women was presented by the anganwadi workers.

After hearing the depositions of the women, Dr R Ramakumar briefly explained the history of the PDS and the sinister plan of the BJP central and state governments to end the right to cheap food grains and wind up the PDS. They do not want to give any subsidies for the poor.

Priyanka Kakodkar narrated the devastating effect that the closure of the Annapurna scheme has had on the food security of the aged with many of them on the brink of starvation.

Sudha Sundararaman congratulated the AIDWA Maharashtra state committee for organising the Jansunwai. Women have always been in the forefront in struggles on the issues of price rise, rations and water. Criticising the pro-corporate Modi regime, she urged the participants to mobilise women at the grassroot level in bigger struggles to force the government to hear the ‘mann ki baat’ of the poorer sections.

The Jansunwai was presided over by AIDWA state president Mariam Dhawale. Concluding the Jansunwai, she said that all the proofs that were given by the participants will be submitted to the state government. An inquiry and necessary action will be demanded. Jansunwais should also be held in districts. The AIDWA Maharashtra state committee has given a call for militant actions on the issues of price rise and the right to cheap food grains in the months of November and December. She made an appeal to make this call a big success all over the states.