Bhubaneswar: Odisha food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra Sunday said there will be no further extension of the deadline for e-KYC update, and those who do not upgrade their data will be denied benefits under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Stating that the deadline for the e-KYC (know your customer) verification of ration cards ends on February 15, the minister said, “There will be no further extension, and strict action will be taken against the fraudulent beneficiaries who hold ration cards.”
The minister said so far, 37,85,496 people have not updated their e-KYC. “Failing to update the e-KYC by February 15 will be considered as surrendering the ration cards,” Patra said, expressing wonder and mentioning that around 8 lakh income tax payers had obtained ration cards in their names.
He also said some people had obtained the ration cards to be eligible for the free health service being provided by the state government. “After the cancellation of the ration cards, their health cards will also be rejected,” the minister said.
The minister claimed that around 8 lakh people had obtained ration cards fraudulently, including government employees and influential people. “Around 20,000 such people have so far surrendered their ration cards,” he said.
While urging the ineligible beneficiaries to surrender their ration cards and others to update and verify their e-KYC by February 15, the minister said around 6 lakh people have, meanwhile, applied for fresh ration cards.
He said the beneficiaries have been urged to complete their e-KYC at local Electronic Public Service (EPS) outlets or ration distribution centres. The new ration cards will be issued after all eligible beneficiaries under the PDS complete the e-KYC process.
Earlier, the government had extended the deadline for e-KYC update from December 31 to January 31 and later till February 15.
A total of 3.26 crore people are beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and 10.03 lakh people have been covered under the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS), officials said.
PTI