Probe finds 166 persons ineligible for ration cards in Odisha

In all 166 persons who had figured in the list of digitalised ration cardholders in Odisha's Kendrapara district are in the dock with a probe finding them ineligible to reap the benefits of subsidised food grains under public distribution system.
The Kendrapara district administration has initiated legal action against 166 persons who had fraudulently acquired digitalised ration cards, officials said.
The accused persons allegedly submitted wrong information to get the ration cards in violation of the NFSA Act. Police cases have been registered against them.
Criminal action would be initiated against ineligible beneficiaries in phased manner. Fresh list of fake beneficiaries are being prepared. Legal action would be taken against them, said Kendrapara Collector, Debraj Senapati.

Ration commodities obtained by the fake card holders would be realised from them at market price of the commodities with 10 per cent rate of interest.
"The verification process is still on. FIRs will be filed against the perpetrators who have applied and obtained the cards against the existing guidelines. We had earlier served a notice asking the ineligible cardholders to submit their NFSA cards back as per the State Government directives," said the official.
"No genuine beneficiary will be left out and other ineligible beneficiaries will be removed from the list. Apart from the government employees, Peoples' representatives, income tax payee, persons having four wheeler or two three wheeler, business with TIN (tax payer identification number), electric consumption above 300 units, any state government or central government employee, persons having tractors, power-tillers, fishing boats or other heavy vehicles, persons having entrepreneurship and professional tax payees and pensioners who get monthly pension more than Rs 15,000 are debarred to get any benefits under National Food Security Act, added the official.

Officials involved in the process of finalising the list of beneficiaries would be accountable for any mistake and criminal case would be lodged against those who fail to strike off ineligible beneficiaries from the list.