Deccan Herald; New Delhi; Wednesday 23 March 2011,
Over one lakh ration card holders are not getting their due supplies because of faulty database entries in the computers of Delhi Government which the Central Information Commission described as ''scandalous''.
The figures given by the food and civil supplies department before the Commission show that 44,172 ration card holders have not been given any given rations because their details were not entered in the database of the Government.
"The respondent (Food and Civil Supplies department) states that this has happened because the computer systems are not working properly and connectivity is unreliable and extremely poor.
"...The respondents also informed the Commission that a large number of card holders (around 70,000) in the category of un-reviewed cards are also suffering because of inefficient operation of computer systems," Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi pointed out in his order.
Gandhi directed the Food Commissioner to look into the disenfranchisement of over one lakh families in Delhi because of improper functioning of the computer systems according to the respondents and provide action taken report before April 20, 2011.
The case relates to RTI applicant Amlesh Gupta who sought to know, through his application, action taken on the complaint about the ration card holders who were not given their due supplies despite having valid cards. But he was not provided details from all the circles after which he reached the Commission.
"It is scandalous that since computer systems and connectivity is not proper 44,172 families in Delhi which should get ration at a fixed price are unable to get them. Government policies appear to be victim of a completely inefficient computer system," Gandhi said.
The Commission also directed the system analyst to provide the complete information about restoration of food grain allocation to the 44,172 card holders to the appellant.
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