Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman said on Sunday that the new ration cards would be distributed from February 1 next year. The new targeted public distribution system would take effect from April 1, he said at a press conference here.
The Minister said the APL and BPL categories would be replaced by priority and non-priority sections under the new National Food Security Act, which would be implemented from November 1 in Kerala.
About 1.54 crore people coming under the priority list in the State would be eligible for food grains at reduced rates as specified by the Centre.
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The draft of the priority list has been published in the website www.civilsupplieskerala.gov.in and copies are available at ration retail outlets, Taluk Supply/City Rationing offices as well as panchayat and village offices. Complaints on the list could be submitted to the respective offices by October 30.
A verification committee consisting of officials such as Rationing Inspector, panchayat secretary, village officer and ICDS supervisor would decide on the complaints by November 15. Any appeal on it could be submitted within 7 days. The final list would be published on January 1.
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The priority list would exclude people in possession of more than 1 acre of land, house of more than 1,000 square feet in area and four wheeler.
Those employed in the government or public sector units, bank employees (except those in the Class IV category belonging to SC/ST) are also excluded. Action would be initiated against those who remain on the priority list despite being ineligible.
The Minister said the State would get 14.24 lakh tonnes of food grains consisting of 80 per cent rice and 20 per cent wheat. It will be more than the requirement for distribution to the beneficiaries under the new system.
No intermediaries
The implementation of National Food Security Act envisages removal of intermediaries from the targeted PDS.
The food grains will be supplied directly from the FCI to the retail outlets. More than 14,000 ration retail outlets will be modernised for the distribution of essential commodities. The outlets are to be computerised, the cost of which will be shared by the Central and State governments.