The State government in Hyderabad is accepting applications for new ration cards. However, the new beneficiaries are asking the government to make it easier for them by allowing self declaration of income instead of requiring income certificates. In the past, when the previous government called for new ration cards in 2018, many applicants had trouble getting income certificates and some were taken advantage of by middlemen. Some applications were even rejected without any clear reasons given.
Beneficiaries have expressed their frustration with the process. One beneficiary named T Rahul had his application rejected even though he submitted an income certificate. Another beneficiary also had difficulties obtaining an income certificate and had their application rejected without any field inspection.
A social activist named SQ Masood has raised concerns about the process. They suggest that local officers should assess eligibility through field-level inquiries instead of demanding income certificates. They also argue that economically poor applicants may frequently change their contact information and addresses, so the process needs to be more flexible. Additionally, if an application is rejected, officials should provide detailed reasons for the rejection.
