More than 3,000 ineligible ration cards returned in U’khand

By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 19 May: It seem that the warning issued by the government to ineligible ration card holders in the state is having a positive effect with more than three thousand people returning their Antyodaya ration cards.
It may be recalled that, on the instructions of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rekha Arya, 3167 ration card holders returned their ration cards in the state under the campaign ‘No to ineligible, yes to eligible’. Under the campaign run by the Food and Civil Supplies Department against fake and ineligible ration card holders, more than three thousand ineligible Antyodaya ration cards have been deposited so far. In this, the maximum 1190 ration cards have been deposited in Udham Singh Nagar district. Ineligible cards have been returned in compliance with the provisions of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Scheme (SFY). As many as 155 card holders in Chamoli district, 250 in Pauri Garhwal, 22 in Uttarkashi, 63 in Tehri Garhwal, 266 in Dehradun district, 6 in Rudraprayag, 77 in Haridwar district, 1190 in Udham Singh Nagar, 710 in Nainital, 43 in Champawat, 20 in Bageshwar, 122 in Almora and 243 ineligible ration card holders in Pithoragarh district have returned their Antyodaya ration cards. A warning had been issued some days ago asking all ineligible Antyodaya ration card holders to return their cards or face strict legal action.
It may also be recalled that, in Uttarakhand, a large number of ineligible persons had managed to secure Antyodaya Ration cards. Under the rules, anyone above the poverty line, or having a bike or car, owning a pucca house or agriculture land is ineligible to hold an Antyodaya ration card.