Odisha government preparing beneficiary list for National Food Security Act

BERHAMPUR: The Odisha government is preparing an "error-free" beneficiary list for the much- awaited National Food Security Act, 2013 ( NFSA) to be rolled out in the state from October 1.

Over 3.26 crore people are expected to be benefited under the scheme, which comprised 80 per cent of the rural population.

"A massive exercise to complete all processes for implementation of NFSA is going on and will be completed by September end," said the state's Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma.

Noting that the focus was on preparation of list free from mistakes to ensure that genuine beneficiaries are not left out, the minister said collectors of ten southern districts had been asked to ensure preparation of an error-free beneficiary list.

The first list of beneficiaries would be published on July 20 at block and gram pachayat level after scrutiny of the applications. Scrutiny is necessary to eliminate ineligible applicants and to add the left out people.

"The government has already warned of action against ineligible applicants, if they manage to get digitised ration cards. A number of ineligible applicants have withdrawn their applications," said the minister, who was here for a official meeting yesterday.

He said the state government had notified eight exclusion criteria under NFSA to eliminate bogus ration card holders. "We have instructed the collectors to create awareness about the exclusion criteria among the people to eliminate the bogus ration cards," he said.