PANAJI
The ongoing e-KYC updating of ration card holding families in the government's pursuit in digitising the Public Distribution System (PDS) implemented through pre-designate fair-price shops is still lagging in Goa and there are close to 3-lakh (30 per cent) who are yet to comply.
According to Civil supplies director Jayant Tari the department has been proactive in ensuring e-KYC compliance by ration card holders and has managed to update the roster with over 70 per cent of the State's nearly 10-lakh ration cards.
This process has been ongoing for over a year and the Centre has extended deadlines multiple times in the past instead of simply cancelling the non-compliant ration cards.
Tari said the department will continue with the task and achieve maximum compliance until the next deadline before taking the drastic step of cancelling the ration cards which entitle families to monthly quotas of foodgrains (rice and wheat) amidst their struggle to cope with the high inflationary trends.
The Centre, which funds the nationwide PDS system has warned that ration cards are liable to be cancelled for failure to comply with e-KYC norms.
In fact some 6-crore plus ration cards have already been cancelled after the Union ministry concluded that these were 'fake' when beneficiaries therein failed to comply with the e-KYC norms drawing sharp criticism from food rights campaigners in the country.
