Around 600 villagers from nine revenue villages of Khuntpani block in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand laid siege to the block office on Friday, protesting against alleged stealing of ration for several months in violation of National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The villagers marched for a distance of nearly one kilometre to the Khuntpani block office, around 130km away from state capital Ranchi, and gheraod the building from 11am to 2.30pm before handing over a memorandum to the block development officer (BDO) Jaggo Mahato.

“It is surprising that the BDO expressed ignorance about any such anomaly despite the matter being brought to the notice of officials on several occasions. We have submitted a demand to stop theft of ration and ensure that the amount of rations deprived for beneficiaries should be given. We also want the license of guilty dealers to be cancelled and FIR be lodged against those found guilty. The families, whose cards have been deleted, should be given a new card and punching system should be removed from public distribution system,” said Siraj Dutta, a member of the Khadya Suraksha Jan Adhikar Manch that has been espousing cause of right to food and implementation of NFSA.

Pangela Jonko of Jonkosasan village of the block said: “We have been given ration after deducting 3 to 4kg per member of the family from October 2021 till now under priority household category of ration. Even Antyodaya card holders have been given 20kg (instead of 35kg per card) per family. However, the ration dealers enter correct figures while making online entries.”

Similar complaints came from Niraso Bodra of Chudyu village. “For the last few months, even the free foodgrains available under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) have not been given. But the online entries are showing that we have received the grains. We have lodged complaints, but no action has been taken against the dealer so far,” said Bodra.

Minjari Dongo, an elderly woman of Kudabeda village claimed that her ration card was deleted and she is deprived of ration.

The block development officer Jaggo Mahato, who came to hold dialogues with the protesting villagers, was told that not only ration dealers but several officers in the block and circle offices are also hand in glove in the theft of food grains meant for poor.

The block development officer Jago Mahato, while confirming the agitation expressed ignorance about such incidents in the past as he joined recently.

District supply officer of West Singhbhum, Amit Prakash, said that random inspection of the ration dealers would be done from Saturday.

“We will take action as per law against the ration dealers and those found involved in the illegal act during the random inspection,” said Prakash.