Bhubaneswar, Nov 27: The Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Department has identified 177,068 fake ration card beneficiaries in Odisha, Minister Krushna Chandra Patra disclosed in the Assembly on Wednesday while responding to a query from MLA Manas Kumar Dutt.

The minister stated that the department has completed KYC verification for 2,69,23,830 out of the 3,36,35,819 registered Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries. During this process, it was discovered that 177,068 beneficiaries listed were deceased.

“These ghost beneficiaries will be removed from the PDS list, ensuring only eligible individuals benefit from the system,” Patra explained. “New ration cards will be issued promptly to eligible applicants.”

He also informed the Assembly that the state has received 6,19,836 applications for new ration cards. Efforts are underway to review and approve these applications, ensuring that all genuine beneficiaries are included and the distribution system becomes more transparent and efficient.

Powered by Froala Editor