Over 16 lakh ineligible ration card beneficiaries identified in Odisha: Minister

As many as 16,27,000 ineligible ration card beneficiaries have been identified in Odisha so far, informed Food Suppliers Minister Krushna Chandra Patra in the State assembly on Wednesday.

According to the Minister, e-KYC verification commenced across the State from August 22 and will continue till December. Non-Residents Odias can do e-KYC verification at their own places and they need not to visit Odisha for this purpose.

“Many more ineligible ration card beneficiaries are likely to be detected. Only 25 per cent work has been done so far and it will continue till December. Non-Residents Odias can go to the nearby centers and do e-KYC verifications by giving their fingerprints,” said Minister Patra while replying to an unstarred question of Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous.

Earlier, Odisha government had informed that new ration cards will be issued to those applicants who are found eligible after Aadhaar-based e-KYC verification.

Applicants who are eligible to be covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) will be issued the cards. However, the issue of new cards is subject to completion of e-KYC verification of the existing cards.