BHUBANESWAR: Even as a clear picture on the number of ghost ration cards in circulation and ineligible persons enjoying free ration under national and state food security programmes is yet to emerge, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Saturday said around four lakh income tax (I-T) payees are beneficiaries of the free food grains.
The minister said massive irregularities in the selection of beneficiaries and distribution of ration cards to ineligible persons by the previous BJD government are coming to the fore during the ongoing eKYC verification to authenticate beneficiaries covered by the food security net.
“eKYC verification of more than 41 lakh beneficiaries is still in progress. It has been reported that approximately four lakh people who have been filing I-T returns regularly have been issued ration cards. A clear picture will soon emerge on how many ration cards have been doled out to ineligible persons by the previous government,” Patra told mediapersons here.
The minister said instructions have been issued to authorities concerned to verify all ration cards in the suspect list through field verification to ascertain the status of the beneficiaries. After field verification, ration cards issued to ineligible persons will be cancelled.
Patra said more than six lakh applications have been received. The department will open an online portal for receiving new applications once the eKYC process is completed. After elimination of ghost ration cards, new cards will be issued, he said.