Representative Image | Photo: Mathrubhumi
Alappuzha: The Civil Supplies Department will soon seize the non-priority subsidy ration cards (blue) held by the ineligible households. The department is mulling the action over the complaints registered in the first phase. The department will carry out a direct inquiry at the houses and the neighbourhood of the consumers as part of the action.
So far, the Civil Supplies Department has been reclaiming the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (yellow) and Priority (pink)cards from the ineligible people. The State Food Commission has also found that ineligible consumers are using the blue ration cards. Following this, the commission was directed to exclude them from the list and add the eligible people who hold white ration cards (non-priority).
Recently the government has asked ineligible consumers to voluntarily relinquish their priority cards. Thereby over 1.25 lakhs of households returned their cards which include the blue cards too.
The department has received complaints from the public against several ineligible households acquiring benefits using the non-priority subsidy cards. It is based on these complaints that the department is proceeding with the probe and seizing the blue cards.
The blue cards will be seized from those who have four-wheelers, working in government- public sector enterprises, with monthly income exceeding Rs 25,000 or with houses more than 1000 sq ft.
When the non-priority non-subsidy (white) cardholders pay Rs 10.90 for one kg of rice, the non-priority subsidy (blue) cardholders pay only Rs 4 for one kg.
Earlier the blue cards were given for those who are beneficiaries of different social welfare schemes of the government. It is learned that even after the improvement in living standards, they were not converted into white cards.
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