No last date for digital ration cards application: Jyotipriyo

State Food Supply Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, on Monday, said that there will be no last date for the application of digital ration cards.

There was confusion among people that the application for digital ration cards may end on February 20 as the state government earlier extended the deadline of February 1 and fixed the last date on February 20. Mullick said that around 7.97 crore digital ration cards has already been distributed and the remaining cards will be given to the holders as soon as possible.

He also mentioned categorically that there is no question of cancelling old ration cards and the people with old ration cards will be able to withdraw kerosene only after March 1. The minister also urged people to not listen to the rumours and reminded that both the cards are valid.

Mullick mentioned that there is no last date for the application of digital ration cards.

People can submit their applications for as long as the state government runs Khadya Sathi scheme. The minister also said that the state government will spend Rs 5,020 crore for the implementation of Khadya Sathi scheme.

It may be mentioned here that some people staged demonstration on Cooch Behar-Dinhata state highway after allegedly not getting the digital ration cards.

The incident had created huge traffic jam on the state highway. The agitation was later lifted following the intervention of senior police officers of the district.

Mullick also said that state government has decided to procure 52 lakh MT of paddy from the farmers by September. Around 10,000 self-help groups would be engaged in smoothly conducting the process of procuring paddy.

One person from the group will collect all the paddies from the mouza and then inform the department which will send its representatives to take the paddy from them. The self-help groups will be given around Rs 32 per quintal for their work.

As per the plan of the state Food and Supply Department, a farmer who was earning Rs 1470 for a quintal of paddy would be given Rs 20 more per quintal as an incentive.