Pulling up the Delhi Government for not issuing ration cards to slum dwellers who missed the last date for applying for a new one, the Central Information Commission has asked it to look into this policy and take corrective action.
The case relates to a slum dweller Bhoj Bahadur who had an old ration card issued in 1999. Exercising his Right to Information, Bahadur asked the government why a fresh card was not issued to him.
During the hearing, the Food and Supplies Department of Delhi Government said that new cards are issued only to those who have got their earlier cards renewed in 2002, or had been issued one subsequently.
It also said fresh ration cards are issued to homeless people but the policy makes people, like this appellant who is stating in jhuggis, ineligible to get a ration card.
"This is appearing to be a very harsh condition since it means that people who had ration cards issued before 2002 and missed getting it renewed in 2002 have become ineligible for new ration cards", Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said.
He accepted that the Commission's hands were tied to do anything in this matter and asked the Secretary of the department to look at this policy and take corrective action if it is thought appropriate.
"The Commission thinks that this is an unreasonable and insensitive policy. It is unimaginable that the right to get food grains at a reasonable rate to the poor is denied merely because they did not keep track of government policies and requirements," he said.