Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had alerted the District Collectors to remain cautious while making new ration cards that would help implementing the food security act in the state.
The state is first in the country to enact food security act of its own. The state government has started preparation for the same and will implement the act next month. For the effectively execution, the list of ration cards need to be update and the process for the same has started.
At present, 3.4 million families are covered for the chief minister food assistance programme that provided 35 kg of food grains at Rs 1 and Rs 2 per kg along with 2 kg of Amrit salt free of cost. The authorities feel that the number of beneficiary families is likely to reach 5 million with the implementation of the act as new members will join the list.
"The district collectors should be alert and avoid any irregularities, manipulation in the making of new ration cards," Singh said while addressing the collectors' conference here Monday afternoon. The active participation of elected representatives of panchayat and urban bodies, women self-help-groups and health workers will be of great help, he added.
The chief minister said vigilance was required to keep away the middlemen from the progress of making and issuing new ration cards. "If the middlemen were involved, chance of fake ration card was not ruled out and this would prevent the eligible families to avail the benefits of the scheme," Singh added.
The state government will be holding camps at rural and urban areas from April 10 to April 30 to include new members in the list and issue ration cards to the family eligible for the scheme. The cards will be distributed from May 1 to May 31.
