Odisha Govt To Issue New Ration Cards By September-End: Minister

Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra told the Assembly on Wednesday that the distribution of new ration cards in the state will begin in September.

Patra further stated that the process of verifying e-KYC for the purpose of issuing new ration cards is already ongoing throughout the state. “So far, over nine lakh people have applied for new ration cards. The issuance process is expected to be completed by September,” said Patra.

The minister stated in July that the government would remove all ineligible individuals from the list of ration card recipients under the Food Security Act. The government has identified 12 criteria for including eligible families in Food Security Act initiatives and ten for eliminating ineligible ones.

All department personnel have been asked to eliminate any ineligible recipients from the list, ensuring that only deserving households receive ration cards. “To maintain the correctness and openness of the public distribution system, e-KYC audits will be carried out to check the information submitted by applicants. We use e-KYC audits to confirm qualified beneficiaries. In addition, our officers will conduct door-to-door surveys,” the minister stated.

Source:OCN