Less rice on Dharashiv ration cards amid drought: one kilo here, two in neighbouring districts

Kalamb: With drought declared in the district and farming and ordinary families in financial difficulty, questions are being raised about the mix of grain given under the public distribution system. In the neighbouring districts of Pune, Solapur, Latur and Beed, priority household beneficiaries reportedly get 2 kg of rice and 3 kg of wheat per person, while in Dharashiv they get 1 kg of rice and 4 kg of wheat.

Eligible beneficiaries receive 5 kg of free grain per person. Beneficiaries say many families need more rice than wheat in their daily diet, so the extra wheat does not make up for the cut in rice. The change has been in force for some months, and there is a demand that the food and civil supplies department explain which government order brought it in and why.

Many card holders ask for less wheat and more rice, but grain has to be distributed according to what the government supplies, and shopkeepers have no power to change the mix, said ration shopkeeper Kiran Borade. 'We used to get two kilos of rice and three of wheat. We need rice more than wheat,' said Tai Kale, a beneficiary from Wakadi.

Source: Esakal