Over 40 Lakh Ghost Ration Card Holders Identified in Odisha: Minister Krushna Chandra
�Bhubaneswar: Over 40 lakh ghost ration card holders have been identified in Odisha, according to food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra.
Speaking to the media on Friday, the minister revealed that each district in the state is estimated to have between 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh ghost beneficiaries.
“During the e-KYC process, it was discovered that each district has 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh ghost ration card holders. So far, more than 40 lakh ghost ration card holders have been identified. The e-KYC process is ongoing and will take a few more days to complete,” Patra stated.
The Aadhaar-based e-KYC verification for the 2024-25 period aims to enhance transparency in the beneficiary list under Odisha's food security scheme. Official data reveals that the state government has received 6,19,836 applications for new ration cards under the scheme. To ensure fairness, the government has established 10 parameters for the enrollment and issuance of new ration cards.
Efforts are already underway to delete ghost ration card holders and replace them with eligible beneficiaries. Earlier in November, minister Patra had disclosed that out of a total of 3,36,35,918 Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries, e-KYC verification had been completed for 2,69,23,830 individuals.
Additionally, 1,77,068 ghost ration card holders were removed from the list during this period.
The ongoing cleanup and addition process, according to the minister, underscores the state government’s commitment to ensuring the effective implementation of the food security scheme and providing assistance to genuine beneficiaries across the state.
