In a unique initiative to help people, the government has authorized auto drivers to deliver goods/supplies to their doorsteps.
Families in the "very poor" category will soon be able to receive groceries at their doorsteps from businesses affiliated with the Public Distribution System (PDS).
The Kerala government has launched an initiative called 'Oppam,' in which local autorickshaw drivers will bring food items to the houses of persons from extremely poor' families who are unable to visit PDS shops to collect their supplies due to old age, illness, or other reasons.
G R Anil, Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, will formally inaugurate the project on Monday in Poochatty, Thrissur. Once 'Oppam' is established, beneficiaries will receive their ration supplies free of charge on the 10th of each month. According to a survey conducted by the local self-government department, over 64,000 households in the state are 'extremely poor,' with over 85% of them located in rural regions.
The department's initiative was hailed as the first-of-its-kind mechanism in the country to identify the 'extremely poor'. According to Civil Supplies Commissioner D Sajith Babu, a large percentage of the really poor are unable to access PDS shops for various reasons.
"While some are old, others have locomotive difficulties. The 'Oppam' project was established for such people," he explained. According to the source, many of them did not have ration cards at first, but the department has now been able to issue them to more than 80% of the extremely poor.
Special Camps to provide ration cards
"Special camps were set up, and ration cards were distributed to the majority of people in this group," Sajith Babu explained. According to the civil supplies commissioner, an extension has been granted for those qualified individuals whose thumb impressions could not be acquired for a variety of reasons.
"However, we will include them in the project as quickly as possible," the official stated. 'Oppam' is based on an ongoing project in which tribals receive food from the PDS at their doorstep. Proper receipt from the ration card holder on food products received shall be documented in the manual register to maintain transparency. This will be recorded subsequently in e-POS machines.
