By Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi, August 8: The Right to Food Campaign, a coalition of several NGOs, has called on the government to urgently issue ration cards to 8 crore migrant and unorganised sector workers who have been left out of the food security net. The campaign’s representatives emphasized that these individuals are suffering due to the ongoing E-KYC process, which has excluded them from receiving food assistance.
During a press conference at the Press Club of India, along with several affected individuals, the campaign highlighted the widespread distress caused by the government’s E-KYC verification drive. The verification process, which impacts all 81 crore individuals entitled to food grains under National Food Security Act (NFSA), has created chaos, with reports of people rushing to their home villages out of fear that failing to complete E-KYC will result in the loss of their rations.
The campaign criticized the government’s focus on the E-KYC process while neglecting the urgent need to include the 8 crore people who remain outside the NFSA’s coverage. The failure to conduct the 2021 census has further exacerbated the situation, leaving millions without access to essential food security.
Anjali Bhardwaj, a representative of RTF Campaign, pointed out that the government’s unclear communication has only added to the anxiety and distress among people. She noted that a lack of proper information regarding the rules, timeframe, and necessity of the E-KYC process has led to confusion, with many migrant workers spending significant amounts of money to travel home for the verification. Bhardwaj also referenced an ongoing Supreme Court case in which the Court has been directing the government to expand NFSA coverage since 2021.
Dipa Sinha, another campaign representative, argued that the right to adequate and nutritious food is not being prioritized as it should be. According to Sinha, if the government’s own population projections were used, an additional 13 crore people would be eligible for ration cards under NFSA. Instead, the food security budget has been slashed by Rs. 5,000 crore, despite rising unemployment and inflation making more people vulnerable and in need of food assistance.
Annie Raja, also part of the campaign, criticized the government for creating undue hardship for women by forcing them to navigate the complex E-KYC process just to secure their basic entitlement to rations. She questioned the purpose of E-KYC and expressed concern that those unable to comply might lose their ration cards.
The press conference also featured testimonies from individuals affected by the E-KYC process. Sunita, a resident of Uttar Pradesh living in a slum near Malviya Nagar, Delhi, recounted how she spent Rs. 6,000 to travel back to her village with her family for E-KYC, only to face complications with outdated Aadhaar information. Other women shared similar stories of financial strain and the risk of losing their ration entitlements.
