Forum cracks whip as widow denied Atta-Dal benefits

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 10

The district consumer disputes redressal forum has directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as litigation expenses to a widow beneficiary of the Atta Dal scheme.

The department has also been directed to deposit Rs 5,000 in the consumer legal aid account of the forum, besides paying additional Rs 602 for the wheat which the department had not delivered to the beneficiary.

Earlier, Kusam, a resident of Guru Amar Das Avenue, had filed a complaint against the District Controller, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and other agencies, stating that she was a beneficiary of the Atta Dal scheme under which she got wheat for three members of her family. However, a depot holder informed her that only one of her daughters would be entitled for the benefit as she and her other daughter were not the beneficiaries, she said.

The complainant said she had submitted Aadhar cards of herself and her daughters, but the department hadn’t started giving her the benefit.

While the district administration and the food controller did not appear before the forum, the Assistant Food Supply Officer and Food Inspector of the Chehharta circle stated that only one Aadhar card had been linked with her ration card.

They stated that as per the directions of the department, only those beneficiaries were entitled to get wheat under National Food Security Act whose Aadhar numbers had been seeded on EPDS portal.

The forum stated that the perusal of the complaint suggested that the complainant along with her two daughters were named as per the ration card, but the Aadhar numbers of the complainant and one of her daughter were linked to some other ration card.

The forum observed that this was done due to the mala fide intention of the food inspector concerned to give benefit to some other consumer illegally. The forum has directed the department to supply the entitled benefit and arrears of the scheme to the complainant at her door step and ensure regular supply of the same.

What the issue is

• Kusam, city resident, complains against Food and Civil Supplies Department for denying her benefits under the Atta-Dal scheme.
• Depot holder denied her ration for three members as the Aadhar numbers of her and one of her daughters were not linked with her ration card. 
• Consumer forums observes that her Aadhar was linked to someone else' ration card for giving benefits to other consumer illegally.
• Department to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as litigation expenses to the complainant.