Ration Card

The world has developed a lot in terms of technology. But often I wonder if I'm living in stone age. The whole system and how worse they plan is once again exposed the way how ration cards are distributed.

         I applied for ration card online and had to take everyone from my family to a cyber center to get my photographs taken. Though I could have taken a photograph  using even my cell phone far, far better than the cyber center web cam, or use any of the photographs I have of mine and my family members', with so much computer knowledge I wonder the reason why all of us had to take the pain of going all the way to get it done. Well, maybe the government want revenue in terms of our travel expense and also help the cyber center people to earn some extra bucks at the same time earn some extra illegal income by the officials in allotting necessary permission to those cyber centers, seems to be some logical conclusions that I can get into. I wish if I could send good photographs of mine and my family members at the comfort of sitting at home. But above that the thought of poor people and also those who are handicapped ran through my mind. Those who struggle to earn a living had to leave their daily bread and go to such a place paying for travel as well as some amount to the cyber center. Of course Rs. 5/- per person at the cyber center is nothing for me, but what about a family of four who earns 100 or 200 bucks a day?

All praise to technology, I got an SMS asking me to go the taluk office, situated 20 km away from home, and collect it. I set off the journey through the pothole filled roads, keeping aside my 20 hour daily schedule, and reached there to see a long winding queue that stretched from 2nd floor to ground floor. I joined the queue and after long someone said they had issued 500 coupons and those without them won't be considered. Ah, what a waste of time. With no other option I had to return thinking how better they could have done if they had sent the coupon number by SMS. At least they could have announced the procedures or put a notice board detailing it. After all I shouldn't complain knowing very well where on earth I live.

I went back another day but to face the same. Some said people come at 3 in in the morning. Thoughts of poor people who has to struggle struck my conscience again. Why is it that there is no proper enquiry counter? Wouldn't it create job opportunity? Why things are not planned properly? Logics over ruled.

Now that the deadline is over I gave up the hope of a ration card. Of course a ration card gives me nothing more than an address proof for my entire family. Beyond that it serves no purpose for me. But what about those who belong to BPL and very much depend on it.

Anyway, as expected there was another SMS stating that deadline is extended for another 5 days. Not withstanding the fact that I've already lost 2 days I decided to take the risk of losing another day. Like the previous days I went and stood in the queue. Those who were in the queue told me that the coupons are issued near the room where the card is being distributed. I went near the room and finally managed to ask someone who seems to be controlling the crowd. He asked me to go and stand in the queue. 

I'll be losing another day. But this time I was determined and came back and stood in the queue making up my mind to stay till the end and figure out how things unfurl. I saw many people joining the queue of which some stayed and others went around trying to figure out the procedures and many leaving as they ran out of patience. No one had any idea how it works. Finally I saw a man coming and issuing coupons. I felt lucky for getting the coupon # 296 as he announced only 300 coupons are issued and rest of them can go back home. Those who didn't get the coupon had to go back.

Waiting in the queue for long I had more than enough time to reflect on many things. The building though seemed new was looking like a haunted place with filth all around. There were waste strewn all around and the corners looked like spittoons.  I saw people from different strata of society, the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, people from different religion, caste and creed, the poor and the middle class. Of course some were missing, maybe cus they can't afford to come out of their AC buildings and SUVs. When they can buy even injustice with money why should they bother about these silly matters.

The office was situated at the second floor. I felt pity on the handicapped who still struggled to make it over there. There were sick people, there were old people who couldn't even walk. There were ladies, both old and young with kids, and some pregnant. Most of them were standing in the queue without food and water. Who cares? Wouldn't it have been better if there was a lift to take care of these kind of people, or at least keep such offices on ground floor. Is it that some enjoy even by troubling others? Well, logics ruled out. Inefficiency and poor planning rules the whole system. In a selfish world why should we think of others' plight?

Time went by. Saw many people join the queue and many leave. Wanted to inform those who joined later that there is no point standing in queue. But like others I too kept quite. I felt I'm not doing the right thing by not letting them know, but not for long. I saw this person who issued coupon around. I expected him to inform those people. But he was just standing there and chatting to some. Maybe it's an entertainment for him to watch people. Many people being left, many people still moving around clueless, he suddenly started issuing coupons. If he had to issue coupons why didn't he do earlier? He himself announced they won't issue coupons and here he is issuing it again. What about those who stood in the queue for long and left? Had he informed wouldn't they have been benefited. What about the time and money they lost by coming all the way and returning empty handed? He stood there all the while enjoying others suffer. What an entertainment! And who cares? Logics over ruled.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/312683/chaos-reigns-ration-card-distribution.html