<p> Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U T Khader said consumers can just dial 1967, a toll free number to file complaints about the working of public distribution system (PDS) supplying subsidised food grains If they have any problems related to ration delivered through fair price shops. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Briefing mediapersons here on Friday, he said the Food and Civil Supplies Department will conduct an inquiry and initiate action against the officials based on the complaints. The department officials have been directed to lift required foodgrains to be supplied through Public Distribution System (PDS) on the 20th day of every month. The foodgrains should be available for the card holders from first to 30th of every month till 8.30 pm, he added. <br /><br />He said the state government has decided to simplify eligibility criteria for submitting applications as well as seeking BPL ration cards for households. <br /><br />“We are also proposing to give BPL cards to cancer, leprosy and dialysis patients due to high cost of treatment of these diseases. The parameters for identifying eligible BPL card families will be reduced. At present, there are 14 criteria for identifying BPL families. All the unscientific criteria will be removed. We want to ensure that BPL ration cards reach the eligible beneficiaries without hassles and we will weed out bogus ration cards by linking them with the Aadhaar card numbers.” <br /><br />He said the revision of eligibility criteria will help in the disposal of 10 lakh pending applications seeking ration cards in the state. There are 11,000 applications pending in Dakshina Kannada district. All pending applications will be cleared in the next three months, he added. <br /><br />The minister said that applications for APL cards will be received online shortly. “The department is planning to entrust the responsibility of receiving and processing of applications for ration cards to gram panchayats. I will appraise the minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development on decentralisation of the process,” he stated. <br /><br />Stating that 60% of the sanctioned posts in the department are lying vacant, Khader said the post of deputy directors and food inspectors are also vacant across the state. The department will write to the KPSC to conduct exams to recruit the personnel, he added. <br /><br />He said more than 90% of beneficiaries have linked their Aadhaar card numbers with ration cards. “I have directed the officials not to cancel the ration cards of those who have failed to link their Aadhaar card numbers. The officials will verify the reason for not linking,” he said. <br /><br />Rewards for tip off<br /><br />In an effort to prevent diversion of food grains meant for public distribution system into open market and checking ineligible people from getting BPL ration cards, the Food and Civil Supplies Department has launched a scheme to reward people who tip off it in this regard. <br /><br />The informers will be rewarded with 5% of the value of the seized commodities being diverted to the open market. Similarly, if the people tip off the officials about the ineligible persons possessing BPL cards, then the persons who inform will be given a reward of Rs 400. The public should alert the department only through an online mechanism. To keep the identity of the such people confidential, the department has evolved an automated mechanism. While the information gets passed on to officials concerned, the identity of the informer will not be revealed by the automated system. <br /><br /></p>
<p> Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U T Khader said consumers can just dial 1967, a toll free number to file complaints about the working of public distribution system (PDS) supplying subsidised food grains If they have any problems related to ration delivered through fair price shops. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Briefing mediapersons here on Friday, he said the Food and Civil Supplies Department will conduct an inquiry and initiate action against the officials based on the complaints. The department officials have been directed to lift required foodgrains to be supplied through Public Distribution System (PDS) on the 20th day of every month. The foodgrains should be available for the card holders from first to 30th of every month till 8.30 pm, he added. <br /><br />He said the state government has decided to simplify eligibility criteria for submitting applications as well as seeking BPL ration cards for households. <br /><br />“We are also proposing to give BPL cards to cancer, leprosy and dialysis patients due to high cost of treatment of these diseases. The parameters for identifying eligible BPL card families will be reduced. At present, there are 14 criteria for identifying BPL families. All the unscientific criteria will be removed. We want to ensure that BPL ration cards reach the eligible beneficiaries without hassles and we will weed out bogus ration cards by linking them with the Aadhaar card numbers.” <br /><br />He said the revision of eligibility criteria will help in the disposal of 10 lakh pending applications seeking ration cards in the state. There are 11,000 applications pending in Dakshina Kannada district. All pending applications will be cleared in the next three months, he added. <br /><br />The minister said that applications for APL cards will be received online shortly. “The department is planning to entrust the responsibility of receiving and processing of applications for ration cards to gram panchayats. I will appraise the minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development on decentralisation of the process,” he stated. <br /><br />Stating that 60% of the sanctioned posts in the department are lying vacant, Khader said the post of deputy directors and food inspectors are also vacant across the state. The department will write to the KPSC to conduct exams to recruit the personnel, he added. <br /><br />He said more than 90% of beneficiaries have linked their Aadhaar card numbers with ration cards. “I have directed the officials not to cancel the ration cards of those who have failed to link their Aadhaar card numbers. The officials will verify the reason for not linking,” he said. <br /><br />Rewards for tip off<br /><br />In an effort to prevent diversion of food grains meant for public distribution system into open market and checking ineligible people from getting BPL ration cards, the Food and Civil Supplies Department has launched a scheme to reward people who tip off it in this regard. <br /><br />The informers will be rewarded with 5% of the value of the seized commodities being diverted to the open market. Similarly, if the people tip off the officials about the ineligible persons possessing BPL cards, then the persons who inform will be given a reward of Rs 400. The public should alert the department only through an online mechanism. To keep the identity of the such people confidential, the department has evolved an automated mechanism. While the information gets passed on to officials concerned, the identity of the informer will not be revealed by the automated system. <br /><br /></p>
