BHUBANESWAR: Taking a U-turn from stopping distribution of free PDS rice from November 1 to ration cardholders who have not completed the mandatory e-KYC process, the state government has once again extended the Aadhaar-based authentication deadline till December-end.
The move comes in the wake of the alleged starvation death of a tribal man, Nisha Mankidia, of Sukinda area in Jajpur recently. Nisha’s death had triggered widespread outrage, with the Congress accusing the state government of denying him free ration as his card was not e-KYC compliant.
Issuing a statement in this connection on Sunday, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department said PDS rice was being supplied to all ration cardholders, including those who have not done their e-KYC verification by the end of October.
The department informed all PDS beneficiaries in the state covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) that the Aadhaar-based e-KYC process is ongoing and will continue till December 31.
“The process is ongoing at all 11,827 fair price shops, 314 block offices and 64 municipal offices where ration card management centres are operational. Beneficiaries who have not yet completed e-KYC are still receiving PDS commodities as usual every month. No eligible beneficiary is being deprived of food security due to lack of e-KYC,” the department clarified.
It advised ration cardholders who have not yet completed their Aadhaar-linked e-KYC to complete the process by visiting their nearest PDS dealers or ration card management centre by the end of December.
Earlier on October 9, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra had announced the state government’s decision to stop supply of the free rice to ration cardholders who have not completed e-KYC verification, from November.
The decision has been taken in conformation with the central government’s instruction to all states to make e-KYC verification mandatory for all ration cardholders for receiving the benefit under PDS.
“More than 15.67 lakh beneficiaries across the state remain unverified even after repeated extension of deadlines for self-authentication. They have been provided the free rice till October, but the government has decided to stop the distribution to those who have not completed e-KYC, from November,” Patra had added.
