Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: Ration card holders in Odisha who have not completed their e-KYC verification will stop receiving rice under the Public Distribution System (PDS) from next month, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra announced on Tuesday.
The decision follows the Central Government’s discontinuation of the e-KYC process, which was mandatory for verifying beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Currently, around 15.67 lakh beneficiaries in Odisha have yet to complete their e-KYC process. While they are still receiving rice for now, distribution will be halted from next month for those who remain unverified.
“The Centre has stopped the e-KYC process. Those who have not completed their e-KYC verification will not receive rice. We had extended the deadline several times — for nearly seven to eight months — but it cannot be extended further,” Minister Patra said.
He, however, clarified that if the Central Government extends the e-KYC deadline, the state will follow suit. Beneficiaries left out of the process may also submit a written appeal for consideration.
The Minister further stated that in several districts, beneficiaries have already received an additional five kilograms of rice, and the government is now considering expanding this benefit to other regions of the state.
The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by the state government to streamline welfare distribution and ensure that only genuine beneficiaries avail of the free rice scheme under the NFSA and State Food Security programs.
-OdishaAge
