RTI reponse reveals over 18 lakh ration cards applications pending in UP; 56.8% requests rejected

Lakhs of migrant workers who returned to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh during the lockdown are eagerly waiting for their ration cards in order to avail subsidised food grains allocated under the Public Distribution System in this time of crisis under. An RTI reply has revealed the state has over 18 lakh ration card applications pending with a whopping 91.9 percent of them pending beyond the stipulated 30 days for approval.

Uttar Pradesh has witnessed maximum number of migrant workers in the country with more than 31 lakhs having returned from other states during the lockdown, the state's chief secretary had informed on 4 June, 2020.

On 12 May, 2020, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had given specific directions that those in need and eligible for subsideised ration should be provided with ration cards, including migrant workers.

Between late March when the lockdown was announced in India and the month of May, the state has reportedly issued more than 5.8 lakh ration cards. Yet, 18,84,537 (or 10.2 percent) of the total applications for new ration cards are pending in the state.

In all, the state received 1,85,57,659 applications under the State e-Governance Service Delivery Gateway (SSDG) system run by the Food and Civil Supplies Department of Uttar Pradesh. This information has been provided by the department in response to an RTI application filed by this author.

While the response from the department does not mention the time period in which these applications were received, the date mentioned for the data compiled by the department is 31 July, 2020.

The author has enquired from the department regarding the time period for the applications received and the details are awaited.

As per the RTI response, out of the total pending applications, only 1,58,251 or 8.1 percent are pending within the stipulated time period of 30 days for application approval, while 17,31,686 (or a whopping 91.9 percent) are those pending beyond 30 days.

Of the total 1.86 crore applications received, the department has accepted 61,29,525 applications (or 33 percent) while 1,05,43,597 (or 56.8 percent) applications have been rejected.

The information released via RTI also gives a district-wise breakdown of the ration card applications as well. Out of total 75 districts in the state, the highest number of applications have been received in Sitapur district in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The district also has the highest number of rejections.

The least number of applicatios were received in Sonbhadra district in Western Uttar Pradesh. Sonbhadra also ranks lowest in terms of ration card applications approved, rejected as well as pending. Kanpur Nagar in central Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of applications awaiting approval.

Among the four regions in Uttar Pradesh — Western, Eastern, Central and Bundelkhand — the highest average number of applications per district have been received in Central Uttar Pradesh while the least have been received in the Bundelkhand region.

An analysis of the ration card applications processed by the Food and Civil Supplies Department as stated in the RTI response, revealed a strong positive correlation between the average gross domestic product (GDP) per district (as per the 2017-18 official data from Uttar Pradesh Directorate of Economics and Statistics) and the average number of applications received per district in each of the four regions.

Analysis of total applications shows that the more is the average GDP per district of a particular region, the more are the average number of applications received, betraying the logic that people in wealthier regions are less reliant on PDS.

However, an analysis of the total existing ration card holders in the four regions paints the opposite picture.

There is a fairly strong negative correlation between the region-wise average GDP per district and the average existing ration card holders per district, respectively. What this means is that the more is the average GDP per district of the region, the lesser is the average number of ration card holders per district in each region.

Table 1: Region-wise Ration Card Statistics

Regions	Number of Applications Received	Average Gross Net Product per District (Crores)	Average Ration Cards per District
Bundelkhand	118317.4	8898.393	473909.9
Central UP	368249.2	22130.62	363557.7
Eastern UP	237428.3	12363.66	504035.3
Western UP	250992.4	22034.79	485337.2
Source: UP Directorate of Economics and Statistics (for economic data); Food and Civil Supplies Department (for ration card data, accessed on 4 September 2020); RTI response (ration card applications)

 

As of 4 September, the total number of ration cards in the state stood at more than 3.58 crores with more than 3.17 crores priority households, which include both the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) households as per the National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA). At the same time, there are more than 40.77 Antyodaya ration card holders in the state. On average, the highest number of average ration cards per district is found in the Eastern UP region followed by Western UP, Bundelkhand and Central UP.

Table 2: Bundelkhand Region Ration Card Statistics and Economic Performance

District	Total Applications	Accepted applications	Rejected Applications	Pending applications within time limit (30 days)	Pending applications outside time limit (30 days)	Total Pending Applications	Gross Net Product (Crores)	Per Capita Net Product	Total Ration Card Holders
Chitrakoot	145623	35650	98060	684	11229	11913	6477.23	56402	443449
Banda	210741	42474	160492	797	6978	7775	7083.05	36320	199569
Mahoba	50560	22670	17596	1270	9024	10294	8763.35	89035	421760
Hamirpur	92166	56639	27309	1054	7164	8218	6507.16	58109	633554
Jalaun	89609	51992	21778	1938	13901	15839	10293.76	56473	583545
Jhansi	126494	82794	31200	2408	10092	12500	15551.24	72827	798358
Lalitpur	113029	63548	26323	1151	22007	23158	7612.96	55083	237134
Total	828222	355767	382758	9302	80395	89697	62288.75		3317369
Average per district	118317.4	50823.86	54679.71	1328.857	11485	12813.86	8898.393	60607	473909.9
Source: UP Directorate of Economics and Statistics (for economic data); Food and Civil Supplies Department (for ration card data, accessed on 4 September 2020); RTI response (ration card applications)

 

Table 3: Central UP Ration Card Statistics and Economic Performance

District	Total Applications	Accepted applications	Rejected Applications	Pending applications within time limit (30 days)	Pending applications outside time limit (30 days)	Total Pending Applications	Gross Net Product (Crores)	Per Capita Net Product	Total Ration Card Holders
Kanpur Dehat	138099	67995	55169	1418	13517	14935	9992.79	51963	352372
Kanpur Nagar	399043	241537	71924	4329	81253	85582	39243.42	82378	199280
Fatehpur	338881	63955	253922	1743	19261	21004	13064.19	46574	334809
Unnav	250278	111400	105391	4904	28583	33487	17038.46	51135	584509
Khiri	431264	121447	258333	994	50490	51484	21974.19	48188	388536
RaiBareily	98583	41579	38463	1259	17282	18541	12213.68	34227	316428
Lucknow	304911	182753	79672	5211	37275	42486	47943.97	91901	311991
Sitapur	926675	189914	672153	1787	62821	64608	20644.46	40924	564195
Hardoi	426509	166995	230612	2717	26185	28902	17060.45	37745	219899
Total	3314243	1187575	1765639	24362	336667	361029	199175.6		3272019
Average per district	368249.2	131952.8	196182.1	2706.889	37407.44	40114.33	22130.62	53892.78	363557.7
Source: UP Directorate of Economics and Statistics (for economic data); Food and Civil Supplies Department (for ration card data, accessed on 4 September 2020); RTI response (ration card applications)

 

Table 4: Eastern UP Ration Card Statistics and Economic Performance

District	Total Applications	Accepted applications	Rejected Applications	Pending applications within time limit (30 days)	Pending applications outside time limit (30 days)	Total Pending Applications	Gross Net Product (Crores)	Per Capita Net Product	Total Ration Card Holders
Amethi	45239	3201	40265	312	1461	1773	8405.59	47791	714539
Ambedkar Nagar	345454	82294	245951	1507	15702	17209	8667.29	33117	664287
Ayodhya	461237	94886	346208	3745	16398	20143	11674.8	43292	399409
Barabanki	374051	77204	267252	1447	28148	29595	15845.34	43640	356374
Sultanpur	77255	9429	58214	978	8634	9612	11197.4	42920	334067
Azamgarh	550836	199447	303362	2416	45611	48027	16918.81	33823	643064
Baliya	227976	128000	66157	2733	31086	33819	10352.98	29441	795230
Mau	291107	82601	185468	1674	21364	23038	9152.81	37872	436367
Kushinagar	96070	2985	90872	292	1921	2213	13730.77	34363	306180
Gorakhpur	90124	25864	31326	5052	27882	32934	21888.68	45283	296090
Devariya	506337	130495	339976	1953	33913	35866	11180.53	33789	346098
Maharaj Ganj	65309	2317	60309	463	2220	2683	10602.76	35175	498254
Gonda	335538	77496	221410	3139	33493	36632	13616.57	35193	222125
Balrampur	121052	18650	93216	1240	7946	9186	6904.98	27996	781150
Bahraich	238891	32324	197880	1186	7501	8687	12722.93	29038	289100
Shravasti	135060	39778	87468	507	7307	7814	3546.51	33604	291100
Kaushambi	171058	42913	110708	700	16737	17437	6909.95	38434	798639
Pratapgarh	694516	203440	450013	1887	39176	41063	10087.14	28929	381160
Prayagraj	910340	345520	495097	4645	65078	69723	41853.98	63582	315716
Basti	125577	34505	74809	2145	14118	16263	11089.03	41248	715567
Sant Kabir Nagar	86603	10360	69983	1608	4652	6260	5013.67	26421	268593
Siddharth Nagar	144992	23308	104371	2431	14882	17313	8693.35	29943	769219
Mirzapur	34406	5160	16331	955	11960	12915	12313.96	45260	1047308
Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadoi)	86166	14919	54471	1474	15302	16776	7687.05	45059	557344
Sonbhadra	12053	490	10918	45	600	645	13385.96	62757	415864
Ghazipur	211868	48773	142142	2131	18822	20953	12529.08	31555	206482
Chandauli	57627	15043	31519	1205	9860	11065	7333.4	34307	460611
Jaunpur	337488	14914	298828	3194	20552	23746	15243.93	31682	903771
Varanasi	51191	3050	40476	1550	6115	7665	19996.85	50153	403315
Total	6885421	1769366	4535000	52614	528441	581055	358546.1		14617023
Average per District	237428.3	61012.62	156379.3	1814.276	18222.1	20036.38	12363.66	38471.28	504035.3
Source: UP Directorate of Economics and Statistics (for economic data); Food and Civil Supplies Department (for ration card data, accessed on 4 September 2020); RTI response (ration card applications)

 

Table 5: Western UP Ration Card Statistics and Economic Performance

District	Total Applications	Accepted applications	Rejected Applications	Pending applications within time limit (30 days)	Pending applications outside time limit (30 days)	Total Pending Applications	Gross Net Product (Crores)	Per Capita Net Product	Total Ration Card Holders
Aligarh	365112	172698	154595	4079	33740	37819	23305.32	56717	259229
Etah	148444	53213	77675	1820	15736	17556	10822.26	83490	431559
Kasganj	142641	45786	77086	1680	18089	19769	11323	72766	788018
Hathras	115316	53492	44547	790	16487	17277	10132.11	59725	204570
Agra	427559	133568	224309	4761	64921	69682	45605.77	92640	698931
Firozabad	305050	107810	165427	1218	30595	31813	14832.87	53401	592407
Mathura	99906	60360	29125	2530	7891	10421	16595.62	58251	335848
Mainpuri	204037	97310	79163	1548	26016	27564	8939.31	44149	364692
Etawah	233539	97894	119388	2677	13580	16257	9772.89	56657	618970
Auraiya	211271	61771	134130	1495	13875	15370	6759.41	45244	511195
Kannauj	263445	98035	145640	1081	18689	19770	12089.62	66506	593468
Farukkhabad	238963	116123	105713	1284	15843	17127	9659.6	46497	568433
Pilibhit	258909	57057	176907	1316	23629	24945	14143.05	62038	757539
Badayun	316384	103747	181072	3179	28386	31565	17590.36	43375	251553
Bareily	723247	166608	478728	3601	74310	77911	37186.71	74683	303296
Shajahanpur	509708	160376	314952	3849	30531	34380	17451.72	53272	847013
Ghaziabad	232295	124949	63293	3765	40288	44053	35386.02	81856	182287
Gautam Buddh Nagar	88869	52949	20630	1771	13519	15290	118055.8	595551	497649
Bulandshahar	117124	51632	43566	2359	19567	21926	28360.9	73520	310278
Baghpat	67678	43232	16832	1231	6383	7614	10429.3	76048	462169
Meerut	375324	221854	108086	5135	40249	45384	41694.88	113091	379781
Hapur	29999	12640	11307	826	5226	6052	11781.82	80574	495408
Amroha	234064	91400	119399	717	22548	23265	17935.57	87153	456104
Bijnaur	372465	130631	201629	2699	37506	40205	26204.39	65451	556702
Moradabad	353322	114219	202332	1212	35559	36771	21849.74	61705	501165
Rampur	86331	28225	31447	604	26055	26659	17952.19	69222	378520
Sambhal	124586	59841	36388	1543	26814	28357	10673.2	43427	584125
Muzzafarnagar	350158	140842	176315	2734	30267	33001	21530.03	69219	440017
Shamli	197124	63109	120719	1865	11431	13296	8864.83	64864	593340
Saharanpur	336903	95446	199800	3204	38453	41657	24115.35	63264	595851
Total	7529773	2816817	3860200	66573	786183	852756	661043.6		14560117
Average per District	250992.4	93893.9	128673.3	2219.1	26206.1	28425.2	22034.79	83811.87	485337.2
Source: UP Directorate of Economics and Statistics (for economic data); Food and Civil Supplies Department (for ration card data, accessed on 4 September 2020); RTI response (ration card applications)

 

Surprisingly, Bundelkhand, despite having the lowest average per district GDP, has received the lowest number of average applications for new ration cards per district. It should be noted that the region is widely perceived as underdeveloped and suffering from large scale hunger.

In fact, Bundelkhand is the only region with a strong negative correlation between the per capita income of districts and the number of applications, ie, the more is the per capita income the lesser is the number of applications received in the districts of the region.

Incidentally, Bundelkhand has had more per capita availability of food grains than the state average as observed between years 1997 and 2006 in the 2009 study on the region by AK Singh, A Joshi and Nomita P Kumar from the Giri Institute of Development Studies.

Central Uttar Pradesh which includes important administrative and business districts such as Lucknow and Kanpur, though with the lowest average number of ration card holders per district in the state, has received maximum average number of applications per district.

A large backlog of pending applications and the return of more than 30 lakh migrant workers is a worrying combination. Moreover, the pending applications also include those received before the current crisis. The introduction of new ration cards in the state in 2016 replacing the old ones had left many erstwhile ration card holders without one. These ration cards are also a prerequisite for availing benefits for many other schemes such as Ujjwala Gas Yojana (scheme).

While the lockdown has spelled disaster for returning migrant workers, those eligible for ration cards who were already living here and have been hit hard by the suspension of economic activity also urgently need them. With slow resumption of economic activity many of the applicants, especially those belonging to the unorganised sector require immediate relief in form of ration allocated under the NFSA.

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