Duare Ration Scheme started today as a pilot
The Bengal government’s Duare Ration Scheme, or ‘ration delivery at doorsteps’ will make it easier for many people, more so, those staying in the far-flung areas of the state
The Trinamool Congress, in its 2021 manifesto, had made a list of promises titled ‘Didir 10 Ongikar’ (10 Promises of Didi). One of the major ones was the ‘Duare Ration’ scheme, through which the state government would deliver ration items to the doorsteps of consumers; they would no longer need to visit ration shops like before.
The pilot project for the scheme started today (September 15), within four-and-a-half months of the party’s coming back to form the government.
The pilot project involves 3,000 ration dealers (out of the total of around 20,800 in the state) for a period of two months. The idea is to understand the impact on the ground, and correct any glitches which may show up during the implementation, before the scheme is launched across Bengal after Durga Puja, for all 10.33 crore beneficiaries.
All district administrations will involve 15 per cent of the dealers in their respective districts, who will submit a daily report to the administration.
The state has asked all ration dealers to divide their total beneficiaries into 16 clusters. During the initial drive, the dealers would reach out to each cluster once a month to deliver foodgrains at their doorsteps. They will carry POS machines and weighing machines.
Foodgrains like rice and wheat, sugar, flour and kerosene are the usual items distributed round the year as ration. During the trial run, though, kerosene will not be distributed, and people would have to collect it from ration shops.
The public distribution system in the state got a boost after the Mamata Banerjee government introduced the Khadya Sathi scheme, providing foodgrains at Rs 2 per kg, and then making it free. The Duare Ration Scheme will help the people living in faraway hamlets the most as they now need not travel long distances to ration shops.
