The Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Mysore, has set July 20 as the deadline for State government employees to surrender their below the poverty line (BPL) cards.
Penal action will be taken under the Essential Commodities Act against those who fail to do so.
Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies K. Rameshwarappa said that the department had received several complaints about government employees who own ration cards.
There are about 6,08,000 BPL cardholders in Mysore district. Another 1,76,000 families had been identified in the recent months for issuing new cards.
Already, 28,000 fresh cards had been issued to those who have submitted applications, he said.
The officer said strict instructions had been given to fair price shops in the district to compulsorily hold ‘Ahara Adalat’ to discuss the grievances of cardholders.
Some shops had conducted the adalat last month. This month, 1,040 fair price shops had been asked to hold the adalat, he said.
The Deputy Director said vigilance committees and a nodal officer had been constituted in each fair price shop for this purpose. “The grievances would be resolved immediately,” he said.
Mr. Rameshwarappa also warned of initiating criminal proceedings against illegal ration cardholders if they failed to surrender their cards to the respective offices of tahsildars or Assistant Directors of the department. Even owners of fair price shops would not be spared if they failed to inform the department about illegal ration card owners, he said.
The Deputy Director said that families having multiple ration cards should surrender their cards.
