MillenniumPost
Bengal

Food for all: State extends time limit to avail ration with special coupons

Kolkata: The state Food and Supplies department will continue to issue special coupons for availing food grains to the people till they do not receive their digital ration cards. The beneficiaries can furnish these coupons till June 2021 or till receipt of their digital card, whichever is earlier, and withdraw their allotment of ration.

"We have recently reviewed the situation and have found out that still a good number of people whose digital ration cards have been approved have not received the same due to delay in delivery on the part of Department of Posts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic situation. We want to ensure that all people in the state get their respective allotment of ration with Chief Minister giving the call of Food for All," said a senior official of the department.

State Food Secretary Parwez Ahmad Siddiqui has already issued a notification in this regard. In the earlier order, the validity of the food coupons were till the month of September.

The new coupons will have barcodes so that it can be scanned in the e-pos machines and food grains can be availed. Sms will be sent to the beneficiary after issuance of food coupon following which he/she has to collect the same from the local food department's office or from BDO office.

About 65 lakh people in the state presently withdraw ration through food coupons issued by the department.

Meanwhile, representatives from All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation will submit a deputation to Raosaheb Patil Danve, Union Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution in New Delhi on Monday stating that the quality of wheat and gram supplied for allotment to the beneficiaries for the current month has been of inferior quality. The Federation has already written to the Bengal Food Secretary in this regard.

"We have brought it to the notice of state Food department that Food Corporation of India has supplied inferior quality of wheat and a portion of the gram supplied by NAFED has also been of poor quality. This may result in serious public criticism so we have urged him to take necessary steps," said Biswambhar Basu, general secretary of the Federation.

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