52 lakh names deleted from the ration card database: Ranjeet Kumar Dass

  100 pilot centres planned for eye scanning for Aadhaar in TEs

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: State Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass informed the State Assembly today that the department has deleted as many as 52 lakh ineligible people’s names from the database of ration cards under the NFSA (National Food Security Act). He also informed the House that the department would issue fresh ration cards to 40 lakh people now.

Responding to queries from Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia and Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar during the Question Hour, the Minister said this.

Saikia said, “Perhaps, only rice is given under the NFSA in Assam. However, the Kerala Government provides several items to the NFSA beneficiaries”.

Sikdar said, “Many well-to-do families in Assam get NFSA benefits, depriving a section of the poor.”

Some other MLAs said that many tea garden labourers could not seed their ration cards with Aadhaar cards. The problem with them is that, in most cases, their thumbs cannot leave impressions for Aadhaar cards because of the prolonged manual work they do. They requested that the government take alternative measures for them.

Responding to the queries and the issues raised, Dass said, “We provide rice under NFSA ration cards. During the review of the beneficiaries, we found many fake beneficiaries. We have deleted the names of 52 lakh ineligible beneficiaries from the ration card database. The state has 1,51,29,541 NFSA beneficiaries. We have decided to issue ration cards to 40 lakh beneficiaries. The selection procedure is underway. We have received 37 lakh applications so far. If any poor people are left out, we can issue them ration cards. We have formed some committees for the selection of beneficiaries. I shall ask the deputy commissioners to discuss the matter with their local MLAs to prepare the correct lists. The government wants to provide the NFSA benefits to the poor instead of the rich.”

Dass said, “So far, 96 percent of the NFSA beneficiaries have had their Aadhaar-ration cards seeded. The problem of tea labourers has come to our attention. Some of them cannot get their Aadhaar cards because their thumbs do not leave impressions on the Aadhaar system. I have informed the Chief Minister of the matter. We are contemplating their eye scanning for Aadhaar cards. We have planned to set up 100 pilot centres for their Aadhaar cards.”

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