Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai ordered officials to finish a statewide ration card audit by July 31. The push aims to clean up the Anna Seva Abhiyan rolls. Officials will use Aadhaar data and e-KYC to flag beneficiaries who have not picked up free rice for six months or longer. Rai stated that these cases "must be carefully examined" to clear space for genuinely needy families.
Rai set strict targets for getting cards to people with critical illnesses. He demanded officials work with dedication to meet these goals. The minister also noted that Assam is the first state to run a SMART Public Distribution System. He credited this win to the joint work of departmental staff and Fair Price Shop dealers.
New committees will oversee paddy procurement by the first week of August. Local MLAs will lead these groups. The minister insisted that government incentives paid on top of the Minimum Support Price must go strictly to actual farmers. Meanwhile, Fair Price Shop dealers must receive their monthly commissions by the 20th.
The department will investigate inactive shops and take action where needed. Distribution of pulses and sugar restarts in August, and Rai expects a smooth rollout. He called on all workers to act as Team Assam to keep food security programs transparent and on schedule.
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