PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Beneficiaries will now receive the refill amount for LPG cylinder directly through direct benefit transfer (DBT) under the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Nishulk Gas Refill Yojana. The department of Food and Civil Supplies will ensure that the transferred amount is used only for refilling LPG cylinders.
As per the government data, Uttarakhand is the first State in the country to implement this scheme and currently 1.84 lakh Antyodaya cardholder families are linked to the scheme, which is benefitting around 10 lakh people in the State. During a review meeting held at the secretariat on Thursday, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials to ensure 100 per cent coverage of Antyodaya card holders under the scheme.
He also instructed that the data of all beneficiaries registered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) must be updated too. He said that for senior citizens and others facing biometric authentication issues, alternative verification systems or offline authentication should be used to ensure uninterrupted ration distribution. Reviewing the food storage system, the CM asked for an assessment of current storage capacity and warehouse conditions, with necessary arrangements to be made for safe and secure storage. He also emphasised effective implementation of the One Nation One Ration Card scheme to enable beneficiaries to collect rations from any location.
Dhami also asked the officials to ensure real-time transaction monitoring through the e-Poorti portal. Aadhaar seeding and mobile OTP-based ration distribution should be strengthened, he said. Dhami stated that steps must be taken to identify fake ration cards, with action against those found involved. He directed to suspend dealers and officials found negligent or involved in irregularities and asked to ensure timely delivery of complete ration to all cardholders each month was also directed.
Dhami said that advance stocking of food supplies must be ensured in remote and hilly areas. The state warehouses should be reviewed for possible modernisation and expansion, with a buffer stock plan prepared for every district. Timely food supply must be ensured to mid-day meal schemes and Anganwadi centres. All complaints received through the food grievance redressal system should be resolved promptly, he said.
