BHUBANESWAR: Coming under criticism for the largescale irregularities in the implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the State, the Odisha Government on Saturday relaxed norms for inclusion of beneficiaries under the scheme.
Announcing the decision, Minister of State for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Dasburma said the criterion of owning three room pucca houses for applicants has been relaxed.
"People having three-room houses under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) are now eligible to apply for the ration cards. Earlier, the people having three-room pucca houses were denied NFSA coverage," the Minister said.
The State Government also set September 30 as the deadline for returning NFSA ration cards by ineligible persons. The Minister said those, who have availed ration cards despite not fulfilling norms, will be exempted from repaying funds for availing food grains and no action will be taken against them if they return their cards within the stipulated time of September 30.
Dasburma said all eligible beneficiaries, who are yet to receive their ration cards, will get it in a month. Persons whose applications have been rejected earlier and left out people can apply for the same within one month, he said.
The Minister said persons who have returned their cards and paid penalties will get their money. Besides, all criminal cases will be withdrawn against them, he said.
The State Government had earlier appealed to ineligible beneficiaries to surrender their ration cards by August 15. As many as 6,60,767 persons have been deleted from the list of beneficiaries while 2,06,738 new cards have been issued.