Assam minister Kaushik Rai sets July 31 deadline for ration card verification under Anna Seva Abhiyan

Assam Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai has directed officials to complete the ongoing ration card verification exercise across the state by July 31 to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries are covered under the Anna Seva Abhiyan scheme.

Chairing a state-level departmental review and interactive meeting in Guwahati on Wednesday, Rai asked officials to use Aadhaar-based verification and e-KYC to identify beneficiaries who have not collected free rice for six months or more.

He said cases of beneficiaries who obtained ration cards but have not availed of free rice for at least six months "must be carefully examined", adding that the exercise would help create opportunities for "genuinely needy families" to receive ration cards and access benefits under the public distribution system.

The minister also fixed targets for issuing ration cards to people suffering from critical illnesses and other deserving categories, urging officials to work with "commitment and dedication" to achieve them.

During the meeting, Rai said Assam had become the first state in the country to implement the SMART Public Distribution System (SMART PDS). He credited the achievement to the coordinated efforts of departmental officials, employees and Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers, and said the initiative had restored public confidence in the department, increasing the responsibility of everyone involved.

Reviewing paddy procurement, Rai instructed officials to constitute committees for every procurement centre by the first week of August. The committees will be headed by local MLAs, with other members appointed as per government guidelines. He said the additional state incentive paid over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) should reach only genuine farmers.

The minister also directed authorities to ensure that Fair Price Shop dealers receive their commissions by the 20th of every month and ordered a review of inactive fair price shops, with departmental action to be taken wherever required.

With the state set to resume the distribution of pulses and sugar from August, Rai asked officials to complete all necessary preparations to ensure the programme is rolled out without lapses.

Reaffirming the government's focus on transparency in food security programmes, the public distribution system and paddy procurement, the minister urged officials to function collectively as "Team Assam" and complete all assigned programmes within the stipulated timelines.