ALAPPUZHA: The distribution of new ration cards will begin on February 1, 2017, Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Thilothaman told reporters at a press conference here on Sunday.
The Minister said the Food Safety Act (FSA) will be rolled out in the State by November 1.The new ration cards will be issued as part of the implementation of the FSA and the distribution of the card will be completed by March 15. After the implementation of the FSA, the below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) criteria will replaced by ‘priority’ sector cards.
The draft list of the priority category has been published and the complaints related to the list can be submitted to Taluk Civil Supply offices before October 30, the Minister said. Thilothaman said that those who owned more than one acre of land, house with an area of over 1,000 sqft or four-wheelers; government employees; employees of public sector banks and income tax payers have been excluded from the priority list. The draft list will be verified through social audit. If any person is falsely included in the priority category, that persons will be removed from the list and legal action will be initiated against that individual, he said. The draft list was prepared based on the details given by the beneficiaries.
The department has formulated a verification committee for examining the complaints. The committee comprise the rationing inspector, panchayat secretary, village officer and ICDS supervisor. They will hear the complaints before November 15, he said. The beneficiary can lodge an appeal with the District Collector , who is the appellate authority.
Corruption in ration distribution will be wiped out after the implementation of the new system.