Odisha removes 6.95 lakh 'Ghost' ration cards under ongoing e-KYC verification drive

New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The Odisha government has intensified efforts to weed out ineligible beneficiaries from the Public Distribution System (PDS) through a state-wide e-KYC verification drive.
Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said that the initiative was launched after the BJP came to power 17 months ago, aiming to ensure transparency in ration distribution.
Under the exercise, over 6.95 lakh ghost ration cards, belonging to deceased beneficiaries, have been identified and cancelled.
The national mandate of e-KYC verification, which began in August 2024, has been extended several times due to challenges such as poor internet connectivity in remote regions.
Odisha has a total of 3.28 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and over 6.48 lakh under the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS).
Minister Krushna Chandra Patra informed that the deadline for completing the verification in Odisha has now been extended to December 31.
Speaking to the ANI, Patra said, "By doing e-KYC, trade persons who were given rice were stopped. Approx. 6.95 lakh 'dead' cases were detected and deleted. In place of the 'dead' case, new people were assigned in the PDS system." "There are still 14 lakh people who haven't completed their e-KYC yet. I urge them to complete it as soon as possible," said Patra.
Meanwhile, the Opposition MPs are set to continue their protest against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll as the Parliament gears up for the second day of the Winter Session.
The INDIA bloc MPs will protest outside the Makar Dwar of the Parliament at 10:30 am ahead of the Parliament proceedings today.Even on the first day of the Winter Session, the Lok Sabha witnessed several adjournments till noon, 2 pm, and later for the day, as opposition members insisted on discussing the SIR exercise ongoing in 12 States and Union Territories.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, "The INDIA Alliance decided yesterday morning that we will stress for the discussion on SIR and the election electoral reform-related things. Today, at 10:30 am, we are having a demonstration in front of the Makar Dwar demanding the same thing. All the MPs are going to protest outside the parliament."
Further, Tagore said that the Opposition wants a debate on the issue as the subject deals with the right to vote of the citizens.
"I had given agenda motions also, and we hope that they are accepted. We want a debate on that subject. The government should not run away from this important issue because the right to vote is at stake. In Bihar, 62 lakh voters have been removed. Now it has been rolled out in 12 states. A lot of BLOs are committing suicide. We wanted to protect the democracy of India. And for that, we need a debate in the Parliament," the Congress MP said. (ANI)