Last date for digital ration card application extended till Feb 20

Old ration card holders will be able to buy kerosene only after March 1, Jyotipriyo Mullick, state Food minister said on Tuesday.

The Food and Supplies department has extended the last date of application for digital ration cards till February 20. Earlier, the last date for application of digital ration cards was February 1.

Mullick on Tuesday held a meeting with the Chief Secretary Basudeb Bandopadhyay and fixed the new date for application. Both the BPL and APL card holders can apply for digital ration cards.

Mullick said that some people with vested interest had spread a rumour that old ration cards would be cancelled and the Food department would entertain only digital ration cards.

"This has created confusion among people. The holders of old cards will be able to withdraw Kerosene only after March 1 and there is no question of cancelling the old cards. However, with the help of new cards they will able to withdraw food items and other goods. Both the cards are valid and I request people not to get swayed by rumours. In case of any confusion, they should see Food department officials," he maintained.

Mullick said that so far 7.97 crore digital ration cards had been distributed and the remaining cards would be given to the holders soon.

It may be recalled that Mullick had launched a massive movement to seize fake ration cards. Few thousand fake ration cards were seized and burnt.

After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked Mullick to take up the issue of holding fake cards seriously. Accordingly, state-wise drives were conducted.

The Food department officials conducted regular drives to ensure that genuine card holders get ration and the food items are not sold in the open market.

It may be recalled the many ration dealers during the Left Front regime were caught selling food items in the open market at a premium.