Assam Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai has directed officials to complete the ongoing ration card verification drive across the state by July 31 to ensure that benefits under the Anna Seva Abhiyan reach only eligible beneficiaries.Chairing a state-level departmental review and interactive meeting in Guwahati on Wednesday, Rai instructed officials to use Aadhaar-based verification and e-KYC to identify ration card holders who have not collected free rice for six months or more.The minister said cases of beneficiaries who obtained ration cards but have not availed of free rice for at least six months should be examined carefully. He said the verification exercise would help remove inactive beneficiaries from the system and create opportunities for genuinely needy families to receive ration cards and benefits under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Rai also directed officials to expedite the issuance of ration cards to people suffering from critical illnesses and other deserving categories. He urged departmental staff to work with commitment to meet the targets within the stipulated timeline.During the meeting, the minister said Assam had become the first state in the country to implement the SMART Public Distribution System (SMART PDS). He credited departmental officials, employees and Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers for the achievement and said the initiative had strengthened public confidence in the department. Reviewing paddy procurement, Rai instructed officials to constitute committees for every procurement centre by the first week of August. The committees will be headed by local MLAs, with members appointed according to government guidelines. He stressed that the additional state incentive provided over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) should reach only genuine farmers.
The minister also directed officials to ensure that Fair Price Shop dealers receive their commissions by the 20th of every month. He ordered a review of inactive fair price shops and said appropriate departmental action should be taken wherever necessary. With the state set to resume the distribution of pulses and sugar from August, Rai asked officials to complete all preparations to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.
