Maharashtra unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleged that many ration shops, inspected by the party across different cities, were closed and not distributing supplies to the poor and needy. The party claimed that it inspected ration shops across Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad and found them closed. It has asked the State government to ensure functioning of the PDS system
Since the nationwide lockdown, which began earlier this week on March 25, to tackle the novel coronavirus outbreak, the State government has announced that every person in need will be provided three months’ ration for subsistence. “To ensure that the distribution of rations is smooth, the AAP volunteers went on a quick inspection of ration shops across a few cities. We found that a vast majority of the ration shops are closed, and even those that were open were short on supply,” said Dhananjay Shinde, State unit secretary, AAP.
Mr. Shinde said cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, and Pimpri Chinchwad have a substantial population of migrant labourers and daily wage workers, who are the worst hit due to the lockdown. “It is imperative that ration shops remain open,” he said.
Among the localities inspected by the AAP volunteers include Nashik (Kothe Galli, Panchavati), Pimpri Chinchwad (Akurdi, Pimpri), Pune (Hadapsar, Bhekrai Nagar- Phursungi), Aurangabad (Gulmohor colony, Bhadkal Gate, Jyoti nagar, Satara Parisar, TV Center, Garkheda, Shivaji Nagar), Latur (Manjri villege, Tandulja), Nagpur (Reshim Bag, Medical Chowk, Mahal & Itavari).
The party said that the Delhi government is providing food proactively for four lakh people who are in distress through Delhi Urban Shelter Board and 525 food and relief centres including night shelters and requisitioned schools.
“We therefore urgently request the Maharashtra government to make supplies available at all ration shops across both urban and rural areas and ensure that these shops are actually open. We are a responsible party and are with the government to ensure that we emerge unscathed from this difficult time. We are committed to constructive cooperation at all times, just like our government in Delhi,” said Preeti Sharma Menon, National Executive Member, AAP.
