Food is more important for their survival than an identity for the ragpickers. says the author. Why?

The author found that around 10,000 ragpickers were living in Seemapuri, Delhi. They were all refugees who left their native land and were living in Delhi for the past 30 years to earn a livelihood. Though they did not have an identity and permits to live in India, they had ration cards in their names that got their names on voters’ lists. It enabled them to buy grain to feed their families.  They did not mind living identity less life as long as they had food to eat. Thus, for them food was more important than having an identity.