AP government to complete ration distribution in two days every month, decides to use volunteer services

The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to utilise the services of village and ward volunteers to further strengthen the door-to-door ration supply and ordered to complete the distribution of quality ration and other ration goods to the rice card beneficiaries within two days of each month. At the same time it was clarified that the distribution of ration should take place in the first week of every month without any hindrance to the distribution of social pensions. The government directed the Joint Collectors, who are in charge of the village and ward secretariats, to take steps to this end. Narayana Bharat Gupta, Director, Department of Village and Ward Secretariats, gave orders to this effect.

According to orders, volunteers were instructed to give coupons to the beneficiaries one day in advance stating the date and time at which the vehicles distributing the ration to the respective clusters would arrive. Village and ward volunteers were directed to take the biometric of the beneficiaries during the distribution of ration and were instructed to consult the village and ward revenue secretaries if any problem arose in respect to biometric. It was clarified that the details of those who had not taken the ration should be communicated by the volunteers to the secretariat on a daily basis from 6 to 7 p.m. The beneficiaries should be made aware of the fact that there is a facility to take ration at delivery vehicles. Volunteers will be available with the mobile vehicle until the distribution of rations is completed.

The government has directed that the services of volunteers should be utilised only to take biometric of the beneficiaries. It clarified that volunteers are not involved in loading, unloading of goods. Joint Collectors were ordered to oversee these.