Indira Canteens short-staffed, struggle with accountability process

BBMP officials accuse contractors of dragging their feet on accountability rules

Long queues are seen before Indira Canteens as food distribution happens at a single window since contractors are yet to bolster manpower.

This is also making it tough for contractors to ensure compliance with BBMP rules mandating registering of beneficiaries on a new app.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has hired contractors to distribute three lakh food packets per day.

Authorities are introducing new accountability rules to prevent irregularities in the food distribution process.

After the rule mandating the collection of Aadhaar and other ID proof from beneficiaries became controversial, they came up with the app registration last week in which the contractor must upload the name of the beneficiary, the number of food packets given and a picture of them holding the packets.

Staff at two Indira Canteens in the West Zone said they handle long queues of people in the morning and early afternoon, describing the ordeal of uploading beneficiary details on the app. “This takes time due to network problems,” a staff requesting anonymity said.

“If a person asks for more than three food packets, it needs OTP authentication of the ration card that takes three to five minutes. This leads to large queues. There is no social distancing and most don’t even wear masks."

A senior BBMP official charged the contractors of deliberately delaying food distribution. “We found leakage in more than 30% of the food that should go to the poor. While health inspectors sign off on three lakh packets leaving the kitchen, our app shows only 2.18 lakh packets have been distributed on Tuesday. Contractors want to put pressure on the BBMP and get the accountability rules removed,” the official said.

While they do not have a problem with the app, canteen staff want additional manpower to make the process easy.

"I come to the canteen at 6 am, take food from containers and pack it with the help of one assistant and distribute it alone. This has to be repeated in the afternoon and evening. If I must open another delivery (distribution) window, I need extra staff,” a staff said.

BBMP Special Commissioner (Finance) Thulasi Maddineni, who recently took charge of Indira Canteens, said she will instruct the contractors to deploy additional personnel.

“There is a need to avoid long queues. I’ll instruct contractors to deploy additional staff in canteens where the number of beneficiaries is more,” she said.

Masks, vaccination for canteen staff

Staffers at Indira Canteens who spoke to DH said neither the BBMP nor the contractor had provided them masks or gloves. "We were given sanitisers and were asked to buy masks from our salary of Rs 13,000," a staff told DH.

When asked, BBMP Special Commissioner (Finance) Thulasi Maddineni, who recently took charge of Indira Canteens, acknowledged the need to protect the staffers who regularly come in contact with many people.

"I will ensure immediate distribution of masks and also arrange for vaccination of those working in Indira Canteens," she said.