Affluent Families Availing Benefits Meant for the Poor
Residents allege ineligible households are receiving free ration under PHH and BPL categories, while deserving families are being left out.
Shimla, June 25:
Questions have been raised over the implementation of the government’s free ration scheme in parts of Shimla district, with local residents demanding a high-level investigation into the alleged inclusion of affluent families in categories meant for economically weaker sections.
Residents from the Junga area have alleged that several well-off households are continuing to receive subsidised and free ration through government depots under the Priority Household (PHH) and BPL categories, despite possessing permanent houses, private vehicles and other modern amenities.
Local residents, including Ram Thakur, Ved Prakash Sharma, Jiya Lal, Nek Ram, Ajay Kumar and Ramesh Chandra Sharma, claimed that many genuinely deserving families are being deprived of benefits while ineligible beneficiaries continue to avail government assistance.
According to the complainants, multiple ration cards have allegedly been issued within joint families under different names to secure benefits under welfare schemes. They further alleged that some families have been categorised as BPL and PHH despite not meeting the eligibility criteria, causing resentment among middle-class and genuinely needy households.
Cooperative Society Director Udham Singh Thakur stated that subsidised and free ration benefits are intended only for families falling under the Antyodaya, BPL and Priority Household (PHH) categories. He explained that a six-member BPL family receives 12 kilograms of free rice along with 17 kilograms of wheat flour at highly subsidised rates, while a four-member PHH family receives 8 kilograms of rice and 11 kilograms of flour under the scheme.
The issue has reignited debate over beneficiary verification and transparency in welfare schemes at the grassroots level. Residents have urged the government to conduct a thorough review of beneficiary lists and remove ineligible families from the system.
Officials in the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department stated that beneficiary lists for Antyodaya, BPL and PHH categories are prepared at the Panchayat level and ration allocations are made accordingly. Meanwhile, several Panchayat-level officials reportedly acknowledged that there may be cases where financially sound families are continuing to receive benefits, warranting a fresh verification exercise.
Residents have demanded a comprehensive audit of ration card holders to ensure that government welfare schemes reach only those families for whom they are intended.
