Govt to issue new ration cards to eligible beneficiaries | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt has announced plans to distribute new ration cards to eligible beneficiaries, address the backlog of applications and accommodate new applicants. Food supplies and consumer welfare (FSCW) department has directed district collectors to complete preparation of new ration cards by April 20.
Food supplies minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Friday revealed that around 5.9 lakh people, who applied during the previous govt’s tenure were waiting for their ration cards. “We conducted inquiries to process these pending applications, along with new eligible applications,” Patra said. He also announced that the ration card portal is now open for public access, allowing eligible citizens to submit their applications.
In an official communication to district collectors, FSCW principal secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh outlined the govt’s approval for distributing new ration cards and adding members to existing ones. The process will follow field verification in accordance with the eligibility criteria specified in the ‘Odisha State Food Security (Targeted Public Distribution System) Rules, 2020.’
The initiative aims to fill vacancies in both the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) ration card databases. The department has instructed block development officers and municipal commissioners to generate coloured PDF versions of the ration cards and ensure proper lamination.
“The laminated ration cards will be stored at block and urban local body offices for distribution to beneficiaries through special functions,” Singh stated in the letter. Members of Parliament, MLAs, and other dignitaries will participate in these distribution events, as determined by the respective district collectors.
“This move is expected to strengthen the state’s public distribution system and ensure food security for eligible households. The govt’s decision to process both backlogged and new applications simultaneously demonstrates its commitment to expanding the reach of essential food security programmes to deserving beneficiaries across Odisha. The systematic approach to verification and distribution is designed to maintain transparency and ensure that benefits reach the intended recipients efficiently,” said a department official.
Food supplies minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Friday revealed that around 5.9 lakh people, who applied during the previous govt’s tenure were waiting for their ration cards. “We conducted inquiries to process these pending applications, along with new eligible applications,” Patra said. He also announced that the ration card portal is now open for public access, allowing eligible citizens to submit their applications.
In an official communication to district collectors, FSCW principal secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh outlined the govt’s approval for distributing new ration cards and adding members to existing ones. The process will follow field verification in accordance with the eligibility criteria specified in the ‘Odisha State Food Security (Targeted Public Distribution System) Rules, 2020.’
The initiative aims to fill vacancies in both the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) ration card databases. The department has instructed block development officers and municipal commissioners to generate coloured PDF versions of the ration cards and ensure proper lamination.
“The laminated ration cards will be stored at block and urban local body offices for distribution to beneficiaries through special functions,” Singh stated in the letter. Members of Parliament, MLAs, and other dignitaries will participate in these distribution events, as determined by the respective district collectors.
“This move is expected to strengthen the state’s public distribution system and ensure food security for eligible households. The govt’s decision to process both backlogged and new applications simultaneously demonstrates its commitment to expanding the reach of essential food security programmes to deserving beneficiaries across Odisha. The systematic approach to verification and distribution is designed to maintain transparency and ensure that benefits reach the intended recipients efficiently,” said a department official.
