18.50 lakh digi ration cards before April 10: Bali

Shimla, March 28

Transport and Food and Civil Supplies Minister G S Bali today said the government would release 18.50 lakh digital ration cards in all 4,000 fair price shops before April 10.

He was addressing a press conference here today. Bali said 16 lakh Aadhaar- linked digital ration card scanning machines had been dispatched to 2,000 depots till today. “We will issue the electronic ration cards to all 18.50 lakh consumers before April 10, a deadline fixed by the Centre,” he stated.

The minister claimed that it would help reduce fake and duplication of ration cards in the state. The corporation would also hand over cheques for Rs 35 lakh as dividend and Rs 51 lakh as relief fund to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on March 31. To stop the duplicity of LPG connections, the corporation would start a special audit drive in all gas agencies of the state. Inspections would be conducted in all depots and if shortage of food grains is found, depot holders would be penalised, Bali said. — TNS