Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 12
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Committee on 'Subordinate Legislation' has expressed concern over non-issuance of smart ration card to targeted beneficiaries, depriving the deserving poor of the benefit of the public distribution system even as well-off people took the benefit.
In its recent report, the committee headed by MLA Tarsem Singh DC has pointed out that after the elimination of blue card, distribution of smart ration cards to the needy was not being carried out.
Wants undertaking
The panel has recommended undertaking from beneficiaries that value of ration card will be recovered and criminal action should be taken against them in case of false info
Strict action has also been recommended against inspectors who verify wrong information to facilitate preparation of ration cards of rich people with landholdings
34.38L issued so far: Dept
Out of 36 lakh chip-based smart ration cards, 34,38,792 had been issued to the beneficiaries, the Department of Food and Supplies has told the committee
The Department of Food and Supplies, in its reply to the committee, said 34,38,792 chip-based smart ration cards had been issued to the beneficiaries on the basis of their Aadhaar or ration card numbers along with their biometric identification. A total of near 36 lakh smart cards are to be issued.
Pointing towards cases of well-off people fraudulently taking benefit under the PDS, the committee recommended that an affidavit may be obtained from the beneficiary that should have an undertaking that in case of false information, the value of ration card delivered would be recovered and criminal action would be taken against the beneficiary.
The committee has brought to the notice of the department a number of cases wherein beneficiaries were rich, doing jobs in the Electricity Department or other government departments and were at the same time getting benefit of schemes meant for the poor.
It has also been brought to the notice of the department ration cards had been issued to rich people with landholdings. Such people get delivery of ration for feeding cattle, whereas the needy do not get the benefits, it observed.
Strict action has been recommended against inspectors who verified wrong information to facilitate preparation of ration cards.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2OjXtnK
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