The State government has removed the usage of 150 units of power from the list of four criteria for the issue of priority ration cards, said Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader.
Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Mr. Khader said that the usage of 150 units of power had replaced the stipulation of power bill of ₹450 as among the four criteria for issue of priority ration cards for families below poverty line.
The other three criteria were that the applicant should not be a government employee, his or her annual income should not be more than ₹1.2 lakh and he/she should not have more than seven acres of land.
Mr. Khader said there were complaints that with a few days of excess use of power for family functions the consumption will go beyond 150 units per month.
With this many poor families will be denied of the priority ration card. Hence, the State government on Wednesday decided to drop the usage of power criteria.
On the demand of endosulfan victims’ organisation seeking priority cards for families with two differently-abled endosulfan victims, Mr. Khader said they will get the priority cards under the new criteria. While questioning the other demand for increase in ration from the present 30 kg to 50 kg for victims, Mr. Khader, however, said it was among demands placed for the consideration of the government.
Criticising ration shop dealers’ objection to installing point-of-sale machines in shops, Mr. Khader said the State government needs to have a mechanism to know whether ration reaches the card holder.
“First they objected to coupon system and now to POS machines. We cannot accept this,” Mr. Khader said.
The Minister said that owners of the ration shops that install POS machines will get more profit margin than those who do not install it.
The government will also allow the ration shop owner with POS machine to run a Seva Kendra where Aadhaar enrolment and other 24 government services can be availed, he added.
