layman's space

Nuapada district is one of the 19 districts in the State, where PLO (Poor Left Out) cards are being distributed to poor people who were not included in the BPL list.  The Supreme Court had passed an order on May 14, 2011 based on a writ petition to identify poor persons/families in 150 districts of India for distribution of additional food grain at BPL rate. “As a result of the SC order, more than 6.04 lakh poor left out households in the State are now entitled to get 350 kg of rice at the prescribed rate per month starting from November 2011 up to August 2012. It would be provided in three phases,” said State adviser to Supreme Court Commissioner on food rights Rajkishor Mishra. The distribution of cards and rice is now in the process. Nuapada district has been allocated 6,824 cards in total. But what is happening at ground level in the district during the allotment of the card as well the rice? “I paid Rs1,000 to our Sarpanch to get the card. To add to my misery, the ...

When tons of grains are rotting in the go downs of India, the poor villagers in Sardhapur village of Nuapada district are deprived of their right to BPL grains. It is a matter of great surprise and concern that forty four BPL house holds of Ward Number 8 of Sardhapur Panchayat in Khariar block have not been provided the BPL cards although they are enlisted as BPL in the 1997 BPL list (Page 92 of the list). The villagers have reported that they have been deprived of their rights and benefits for last 10 years.   These villagers have requested the block and the DRDA officials time and again about this but no one has listened to them. It is difficult to understand why the concerned officials have failed to address such an urgent issue. Who is responsible / accountable for such insensible action ?   Forty out of the total neglected households belong to two Adivasi groups (Gond and Paharia). You ask the people and they will answer – “the government officials are snatching our da...