BY :
Suranjan Mishra
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Representational photo of Ration Card
Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra called upon families with incomes exceeding the stipulated limits to return their ration cards voluntarily, reassuring on Sunday that no punitive action will be taken against those who comply.
The Minister's appeal specifically targets those in rural areas with monthly earnings above Rs 10,000 and urban dwellers exceeding Rs 15,000.
With the State government taking a strong stance on the return of ration cards by fake beneficiaries, this could be the last chance to return and escape any punishment.
According to the Food Supplies Minister, an 80,000-strong pool of ineligible beneficiaries have already surrendered their ration cards, including 4,500 government employees have also responded to the appeal.
Following the launch of the online application portal, there have been 1,500 new submissions, indicating heightened activity. As Minister Patra said, prior to this, there were around six lakh pending applications waiting for ration card approval.
“Responding to my appeal, around 80,000 ineligible beneficiaries have returned their ration cards. It is certainly a notable achievement. Persons who belong to higher income groups or are well employed should return their ration cards,” the Minister appealed again.
“Abiding by the State government norms, at least 3,000 to 4,000 persons are returning their ration cards, every day,” the Minister expressed.
It is pertinent to mention, in a major relief to around 10 lakh families waiting to be brought under the food security net, Odisha once again reopened its online portal on March 1 to receive applications for issuance of ration cards to eligible beneficiaries.
The portal’s reopening is significant for the beneficiaries as it had remained closed since the announcement of the 2024 General Elections.
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