The Food and Supplies Department has seized 20 lakh bogus ration cards in West Bengal since the Trinamool Congress-led government came to power more than nine months ago.
“According to our estimate there are 89 lakh bogus ration cards in the State. We have directed the dealers to surrender such cards and promised to give them a higher commission,” Food Minister Jyotipriya Mullick told The Hindu .
Stating that the government has set a target to recover at least 80 per cent of the bogus cards, Mr. Mullick said large amounts of food grains were being siphoned off through these cards.
“There are 9.13 crore ration cards in the State whereas the population in the last census was 9.11crore,” he said.
Meanwhile, the department has also decided to set up rice mills in 171 blocks where there are no rice mills and the farmers have to carry paddy to nearby blocks.
Mr. Mullick said he would discuss the issue of setting up new rice mills with Industries Minister Partha Chaterjee at a meeting on Tuesday. The department plans to set up four rice mills in each block.
In an attempt to bail out farmers facing an agrarian crisis, the government has set a target of procuring 20 lakh tonnes of rice by September 30. Mr. Mullick said the department has procured 9 lakh tonnes of rice.
