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Ration cards in for image makeover

C. Gouridasan Nair

Fresh survey of cardholders to precede issue of laminated cards

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ration cards are in a for an image makeover. Soon the poorly done cards will become a thing of the past with the Department of Civil Supplies deciding to issue modern cards.

According to Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran, the Government will soon come out with photo-affixed laminated cards that will become a basic identification document for the holders.

The Government will do so after conducting a fresh survey of cardholders with the help of people's representatives and the new cards should be ready in 2007.

The State now has 67,77,075 cardholders, 14,92,816 belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) segment and 46,92,105 to the Above Poverty Line (APL) segment. The Government's proposal is to issue different cards for the BPL and APL families, he said.

Mr. Divakaran said the Government was planning to overhaul outlets of the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) making them comparable to the supermarkets run by the private sector.

Direct procurement

With direct procurement of articles and constant monitoring of the supply position using information technology, the Supplyco outlets would soon become more efficient and people-friendly. Several steps in this direction had already been initiated and these resulted in the Corporation registering a turnover of Rs.100 crores in August.

The Minister said the Government was determined to end corruption in the Corporation and would not hesitate to seek a CBI inquiry if the judicial inquiry that was already on necessitated it.

All the 14 district offices of the Supplyco would be modernised and steps taken to modernise the ration retail outlets so as to bring back the masses to the retail network.

"Preservation of food articles in unhygienic conditions is hazardous and the effort now will be to make the ration shops clean and airy," he added.

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