Date:19/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/19/stories/2008071958110300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Ration cards to be issued soon

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: All arrangements are being made for issue of ration cards to eligible applicants. The government has recently increased the annual income limit from Rs.20,000 to Rs.60,000 for issue of white cards. With this, a number of applicants are applying for conversion of their ‘pink’ cards to ‘white’.

About 12,000 persons have applied for ration cards and nearly half of them are applications seeking conversion of their cards. The remaining applications are for issue of fresh cards. “Top priority is being given to ‘conversion’ cards. They are being sorted out ward-wise and verification would be done soon. The applications for fresh cards would be kept aside and taken up after completion of work for conversion cards,” District Supply Officer (urban) M. Bharat Reddy told The Hindu on Thursday.

Designated Photo Lamination (DPL) centres will be opened near the Rythu Bazaar at Kancharapalem (Circle-I), Collectorate Compound (Circle-II) and at the Office of the Assistant Supply Officer at Akkireddypalem (Circle-III). The last date for receipt of applications for conversion cards is July 25 and the issue of cards would also commence the same day. Residence and income proof have to be invariably submitted along with the applications.