Order to verify PDS beneficiaries to be put on hold

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said it would put on hold a general administration department order for verifying beneficiaries under the public distribution system.

Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Satesh Sharma made the announcement in response to supplementary questions from multiple members in the assembly.

“We will suspend the order issued by the general administration department for beneficiary verification,” Sharma told the House.

The general administration department had ordered a verification of beneficiaries to make the public distribution system (PDS) database clean and credible, he said.

Sharma also said the Centre had advised states and Union territories to conduct regular verifications to remove ineligible beneficiaries.

The minister emphasised that the J&K government was committed to eliminating fake ration cards through an ongoing process.