19.92 Lakh Beneficiaries in Assam Slated to Receive New Ration Cards

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: A total of 19.92 lakh beneficiaries in Assam will get new ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013. Following a direction from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Commissionerate of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs is undertaking the selection process of the new beneficiaries with the help of the district administrations concerned. It is expected that the new beneficiaries will be able to avail themselves of free Public Distribution System (PDS) items in January 2025.

The Commissionerate of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs sources stated that around 2.30 crore beneficiaries received food items under the PDS last month. Prior to the Lok Sabha election, around 40 lakh new beneficiaries were added to the system in the state. With the inclusion of the 40 lakh beneficiaries, the total number of new beneficiaries has reached around 2.30 crore. After the addition of the new 19.92 lakh beneficiaries slated to get ration cards, the total will reach nearly 2.50 crore.

The sources further added that, of the proposed 19.92 new beneficiaries, the identification of 17.67 lakh applicants has already been completed. The details of the 17.67 lakh beneficiaries have already been uploaded to the Government of India's NFSA portal. The identification of the remaining 2.25 lakh beneficiaries will be completed by next month, the sources added.

The identification and inclusion of the new beneficiaries, being conducted by the Commissionerate of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, is being monitored by the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs department under the guidance of Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

According to the guidelines for the issue of new ration cards, one of the major criteria is an annual income of Rs 4 lakh or less. Of late, the guidelines have been revised to include retired Grade IV employees, without adhering to the income criteria. Moreover, muster roll employees and contractual workers of the state government will also be eligible to receive new ration cards. Cancer patients, irrespective of their financial situation, will also be eligible for the scheme.

Also Read: Assam: Meeting for selection of new beneficiaries under NFSA Act-held in Dhubri

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