Ration cards of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis to be revoked: Odisha Minister

The State government has plans to identify and cancel ration cards that were earlier issued to non-eligible foreign nationals from Bangladesh and Pakistan. As detailed by the Food Supplies Minister, Krushna Chandra Patra, on Friday, a comprehensive administrative review is underway to pinpoint individuals holding these cards.

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The authorities have confirmed that they will take necessary actions to handle cases of unauthorised possession in accordance with the law.

“All foreign nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, etc, who have settled in the State by virtue of fake Aadhaar cards and have illegally obtained ration cards, will be identified and their ration cards will be revoked. Appropriate actions will also be taken against them in due course of time,” the Food Supplies Minister asserted.

Worth mentioning, at present, nearly 25 lakh individuals are still required to complete their e-KYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) process for verification, as per the official sources. Field officers will be mobilised to address and resolve this issue promptly.

On-field visits by officials for e-KYC

Minister Patra had emphasised that the officials conducting field verification in blocks and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have been instructed to strictly adhere to the eligibility criteria specified in the rules. “The Government is committed to ensuring that eligible beneficiaries are not deprived of ration cards,” the Minister had previously said.

“After the survey, around 5,90,000 beneficiaries have been found eligible for new ration cards. As all the cards cannot be distributed in a single day, they are to be distributed in a phased manner,” Minister Patra had stated earlier.

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“Around 9 lakh applications were received by us, and the remaining e-KYC will gradually be surveyed. Our officers will contact at the ground level and verify the e-KYC and ascertain why the cardholders have not yet complied,” the Minister had added.