E-Paper
U.P.: More than half of Prayagraj population depends on free ration, show govt data
Over half of Prayagraj district's population relies on free ration provided by the government through its fair price shops, according to government data. There are over 1,000 government fair price ration shops in the district for over 10.60 lakh card holders. These ration cards include eligible households and Antyodaya card holders. A total of 44.06 lakh units of ration are being given on these cards. The district's population was shown to be around 76 lakh in the 2022 UP assembly elections.
More than half of the population of Prayagraj district depends on free ration being provided by the government through its fair price shops spread across the area, show government data.
As per the official statistics, there are more than 1,000 government fair price ration shops in the district for over 10.60 lakh card holders. These ration cards include both eligible households and Antyodaya card holders, say district officials.
The family members shown on a ration card are called units. As per the data, over 44.06 lakh units of ration are being given on the basis of these 10,60,343 cards, the officials say. In the 2022 UP assembly elections, the district election office had released the voter list in which the population of the district was shown to be around 76 lakh.
When compared to it, more than half of the population depends on the ration disbursed by the government through its shops in a district where a large number of people own their own houses and a large number of residents also pay income tax.
“A total of 44 .06 lakh units of ration are being given on 10,60,343 ration cards in the district. Currently, only free ration is being distributed,” said Kunwar Dinesh Bahadur Singh, district supply officer (DSO) of Prayagraj.
There are both types of cards among these over 10.60 lakh ration cards: Antyodaya card on which a total of 35 kg ration, including 20 kg rice and 15 kg wheat, is given. On the eligible household ration card, 3kg of rice and 2 kg of wheat are given. According to the 2011 census, only 79.56% ration cards can be made in rural areas and 64.43% in urban areas in the district as per set government norms.
According to the officials of the district supply department, a maximum count of ration cards that can be issued in Prayagraj district have been issued already. In such a situation, there is no scope for making new cards unless some old ration card holders surrender their cards for some reason.
