Bhubaneswar, March 2: More than 80,000 ineligible beneficiaries have voluntarily returned their ration cards, including approximately 4,500 government employees, said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Sunday.
The Minister expressed gratitude to those who responded positively to the government’s appeal and returned their cards. "I had urged people with higher incomes and government employees to return their ration cards, and I am thankful to those who complied with this request," Patra stated.
He also highlighted that between 3,000 and 4,000 ineligible beneficiaries are returning their ration cards every day. "This is an achievement, as people are willingly handing back their cards," he added.
Patra further called on others still holding onto their cards to return them. "Those with a monthly income of Rs 10,000 in rural areas and Rs 15,000 in urban areas should return their ration cards. No punitive action will be taken at this stage, but once the cards are returned, a verification process will follow," he informed
