Bhubaneswar: New ration cards will be issued soon for the beneficiaries. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushnachandra Patra said that the ghost beneficiaries shall be identified at the earliest. As of now, a total of 6 lakh 19 thousand 836 families have applied for the new ration cards in Odisha. More than six lakh aspirants have applied. The process has been started at the district level to exclude ineligible and ghost beneficiaries. The KYC is being updated, informed the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister, Krushnachandra Patra while interacting with the media in the Odisha Assembly premises. If any one has not been included in this scheme due to some reason, could be benefited through the new E-KYC system. He further added, under the National Food Security Act, 3,25,93,875 beneficiaries of 92 lakh 66 thousand 491 families are being benefited. However 10,02,144 beneficiaries of 3 lakh 15 thousand 237 families are benefiting under the State food security scheme. While replying to a question by BJP MLA Durga Prasanna Nayak in the State Assembly, Minister Patra stated the information.Â
The department is excluding ghost beneficiaries and rich people from ration cards. The poor will not be left out. Similarly, he added, during the BJD government, the ration dealers have grabbed everything. During the elections, they distributed money for BJD. The minister said that if anyone commits corruption like this, action will be taken against them.Â
