Mangalore: Wanted - Some rational solution to ration card woes!
Sanchia Nazareth
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Jun 13: In order to get anything official done in India here is a list of things you would need - electricity bill, phone bill, PAN card, voter ID, ration card and the more recent and much hyped about Aadhar card.
To make the PAN card you need the voter id or ration card, to make the ration card you need the PAN card and voter id, to make the Aadhar card... well, you get the drift.
Recently since the whole family was together we decided to complete our checklist, and finally after running from one office to the other we got our appointment for the Aadhar card, which was swiftly done, but is awaited yet.
On the other hand, while we got an appointment for ration card, chaos began. To some this might be something of a regular deal, but the moment we entered a shabby looking building, I realised, this was not right.
No queue system, random people sitting across computers that they have no idea how to use, people from far and near with their families including the elderly and children had no clue as to what was going on. There was no sitting area for the aged and people were getting frustrated since nothing seemed to go on as it was supposed to.
A person who seemed to be the 'one to approach' was too busy on his cell phone texting his might away, while the girls seated at the system were picking people on a random basis, although specific token numbers were provided. When asked why the token numbers were not being followed, the manager he said it is done "only when it is crowded". We wondered if he had some problems with his 'sight'.
To the lazy employees' joy and our ever-trusted electricity, the power shut down. Being a private company rendered by the government, this office situated at a Mangalore hub - State Bank, had neither an invertor nor a generator to back up the power.
One of the senior citizens who was waiting in line since 9 am said that the officials at the place did not know what was going on, the person filling up the online form did not even know how to type, nor use the webcam to click the photo. Each of the ration card forms required a fee of Rs 2 and the people waiting in line suggesed that the money could at least be used buy a generator.
The manager said that it would take a couple of hours before the power was back on, and that we could return in the afternoon or on a later date. Some of us had taken a day off from work while children had to skip school in order to be here.
The corporation has over the years promised to set up a proper system to address genuine issues that are affecting the people, although non-issues end up being highlighted at all the meetings.
Being one of the first time voters in the city, I was disappointed with the way the government was carrying out its duties. To have an efficient governing system, it should first be able to add some finesse and bring some order to important duties, and have an orderly office in place. Standing in long queues in stuffy buildings is not the best way to spend one's valuable time, but will those in power who never need to stand in any queue understand?