Fake subsidiesed ration cardholder held

A fake subsidised ration cardholder was arrested and over Rs 3.26 lakh realized from 76 ineligible beneficiaries under Government-sponsored public distribution system following a crackdown by the Kendrapara district administration in Odisha.
As many as 205 persons who had sneaked their way on to the list of digitalised ration cardholders are in the dock with the probe finding them ineligible to avail the benefits of subsidised foodgrains through the PDS under the aegis of National Food Security Act (NFSA), officials said.
The fake beneficiaries did not merit consideration for the social security scheme, but were found suppressing information to get themselves enrolled in the list.

The district administration has initiated legal action against 205 persons who had fraudulently acquired digitalised ration cards. One of them has been arrested while coercive legal action would be initiated against those who have not refunded the market price of the ration taken by them, district officials said.
The accused persons submitted wrong information to get the ration cards in violation of NFSA Act. Police cases have been registered against them. Legal action would be initiated against the ineligible beneficiaries in a phased manner.
Fresh lists of fake beneficiaries are being prepared and legal action would be taken against them, said Kendrapara Collector, Debraj Senapati.

Ration commodities obtained by the fake card holders would be realised from them at the market price plus interest at the rate of 10 per cent, he said.

"Verification process is still on. FIRs will be filed against persons who have applied and obtained the cards in violation of guidelines. We had earlier served a notice asking ineligible cardholders to hand their NFSA cards back as per the State Government directives," said a senior official adding that no genuine beneficiary will be left out and ineligible beneficiaries will be removed from the list.
The ruling BJD has made a mockery of the Food Security Act, alleged senior Congress leader Ganeswar Behera. Colluding with officials of the district administration, affluent people owing allegiance to BJD have sneaked their way on to the list of card beneficiaries.

On the other hand, thousands of deserving people who are impoverished and are struggling hard to make both ends meet, are excluded from the NFSA list, he said.
In some other districts cases have been registered and ration card holders arrested, but no step has been taken against any errant officer, Behera claimed.