Bhubaneswar: Days after the govt threatened ineligible ration card holders with action if they fail to return the cards, around 12,000 people, including govt employees, have returned them in the past one week.
The govt had set Jan 31 as deadline to return the cards, and with only a day left, food supplies minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday urged others to return the cards immediately.
“Those who surrendered their cards will not face any action. However, if caught after the deadline, strict action will be taken,” said the minister, urging eligible beneficiaries to update their e-KYC in the portal to continue getting benefits.
While issuing the warning, Patra said there are at least 200 to 300 ineligible card holders in each block. The govt’s initiative aims to eliminate unauthorised ration cards from the system, which currently deprive eligible beneficiaries of their rightful access to subsidised foodgrains.
“Many persons who are paying income tax and are even govt employees possess ration cards and take the benefits from it, which is illegal. Govt has identified a number of violators, and if they do not surrender the cards voluntarily, their names will be made public,” the minister warned.
Patra on Thursday stated that there are a total of 3.35 crore beneficiaries in the state included in the public distribution system. “About 39 lakh beneficiaries in the state are yet to complete their e-KYC update,” the minister said.
He said considering the statistics, the govt decided to extend the deadline for e-KYC update for eligible beneficiaries till Feb 15. Earlier, the deadline for e-KYC update was Jan 31.
“On Wednesday, 34,699 people completed their e-KYC updates in a single day. The deadline for e-KYC update was extended to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries are added to the public distribution system,” the minister said.
The govt also issued directions to officials to aid the beneficiaries in the e-KYC process. “To facilitate the process, directions have been issued to govt officials to assist beneficiaries living in Odisha and Odias currently residing in other states,” Patra added.