Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 22
Allaying fears of people following reports that the Department of Food and Civil Supplies has annulled blue cards, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Food Supply Minister, today said “only the cards have been annulled and not the scheme”.
He said due to automation and computerisation of the foodgrain distribution process, all existing cards had been scrapped and new smart wards would be issued to eligible beneficiaries.
On re-verification of beneficiaries ordered by the department, the minister said a constant verification/re-verification was the mandate of the National Food Security Act, 2013. “It is a dynamic exercise to add/delete eligible or ineligible persons,” he added.
He said the foodgrain distribution was carried out by the department twice a year in March and September. He said from September onwards, the distribution would be done on the basis of smart ration cards.
He said these cards were chip-enabled and would contain complete details of the beneficiary. The beneficiaries need not carry identification proofs like Aadhaar etc. to the fair price shops to collect ration, he said.
Won’t allow Cong to cancel cards: BJP
Chandigarh: The state unit of the BJP, in a press release here on Saturday, condemned the Congress government’s decision to cancel 35 lakh blue cards. Tarun Chugh, national secretary of the party, said the move would affect the poor who were availing the benefit of free ration. He said cards issued under the atta-dal scheme during the SAD-BJP regime were linked to Aadhaar cards so that genuine beneficiaries get subsidised ration. TNS
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