STAFF REPORTER
CHENNAI, MAY 08, 2018 01:17 IST
10 lakh cards have been detected in T.N. alone, says Paswan
Linking of the Aadhaar number with ration cards has helped the Centre to unearth 2.62 crore bogus ration cards across the country and save ₹17,000 crore annually, according to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan.
In Tamil Nadu, 10 lakh fake ration cards were unearthed, he said after a review meeting with Food Corporation of India and State government officials here.
Mr. Paswan also noted that in Tamil Nadu, Aadhaar seeding of 6.39 crore people has been completed.
Under the National Food Securities Act (NFSA), foodgrains are distributed through State governments at reduced rates. Rice and wheat are offered at the rate of ₹2 and ₹3, respectively; however, the Tamil Nadu government is providing these grains for free.
“There are total 34,773 ration shops in the State. All the ration shops in urban areas are distributing food grains through digital E-POS machines so that the benefit of the scheme reaches the bonafide beneficiaries only,” he said.
The procurement of paddy in the State, which started from October 1, 2017, will continue till June this year. For this, 886 purchase centres had been set up across the State by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, Mr. Paswan said.
During the 2017-18 kharif marketing season, a total of 10.41 lakh tonnes of paddy was purchased from 2,88,116 farmers (as on May 3, 2018).
An estimated 7 lakh tonnes of rice was expected out of the paddy procured, he added.
Mr. Paswan also said that the Centre was committed to protecting the rights of SC/ST people and would bring an Ordinance if the Supreme Court did not change its ruling on the SC/ST Act.
Similarly, an Ordinance would be brought to ensure reservation for scheduled castes and tribes in promotion in government jobs, he added.