35 lakh is meant for people living above the poverty line, while the rest is for those living below poverty line.

Issueance of new ration cards to be delayed

The preparation of new ration cards across the state would be delayed, as the state government is yet to take a final decision whether it wourld be a normal ration card or smart card. The government had promised to issue the cards by the ends of June this year.

Minister for food and civil supplies Mathura Prasad Mahto sai, The issue is pending with the finance department for assessing the expenditure of making normal cards or samart cards. It is expected that the decision would be taken within a week.

The Jharkhand government has announced that more than 50 lakh new ration cards would be introduced in the state to benefit the different segments of society. Out of the new ration cares, 35 lakh is meant for people living above the poverty line, while the rest is for those living below poverty line.

Mahto said the basic purpose is to strengthen the public distribution system (PDS). He added that the government has proppsed to provide new items from PDS counters rather than wheat and rice only.

According to the census report, there were 4.42 million families in Jharkhand but over 5.15 million ration cards were distributed which revealed the a large number of fake cards were issued, said an official of the department. The last time ration cards were printed was in 2004.

The Jharkhand government had ordered a probe into a case of alleged cheating in ration cares, which were reportedly issued illegally by the supply department. The inquiry conducted by the sated government had detected 3,60,000 forged cards. The inquiry had revealed the people in the general category succeeded in getting red cards, which allowed the holder to buy subsidised food. Those with red cards can buy rice and wheat at a subsidised rate.

Some families got more that two ration cards. The process of preparing the new cards would replace all the existing genuine and fake cards.