Date:05/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/05/stories/2008110557590300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Weeding out bogus ration cards a priority: Minister

Staff Reporter

Investigators instructed to expedite verification process

KARUR: Bogus ration cards should be entirely weeded out and the State government was taking efforts to eradicate the menace, Food Minister A.V. Velu has said.

Speaking after supervising the door-to-door verification of ration cards at Manmangalam and Vangapalayam villages off the Karur-Namakkal highway on Saturday Mr. Velu said that the second phase of verification was on in Velur, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Nagapattinam, Theni, Thoothukudi and Krishnagiri districts.

First phase

The first phase covered Coimbatore and Tiruchi districts as also Anna Nagar and Chepauk zones in Chennai city.

Enquiry of ration commodities

The Minister himself visited several houses and conducted enquiries regarding the data in the ration cards pertaining to that household.

He also enquired with the public about the availability of ration commodities.

Later speaking at a meeting of filed investigation officials at the Collectorate Mr. Velu informed that weeding out bogus cards was a priority for the State government and that was reflected on the Rs. 13.05 crore allocation for the process.

He wanted the field investigators to expedite the process of verification.

He detailed the various errors and discrepancies that could have crept in while recording the data and wanted the field investigators to eradicate the errors.

During the field investigation, officials should also concentrate on getting the details of transfers, shiftings, inclusion or deletion of persons from ration cards etc.

Efforts to effect changes

Efforts would be taken to simultaneously effect changes in address, Mr. Velu pointed out.

Civil Supplies Commissioner K. Rajaraman, District Collector T.N. Venkatesh, District Revenue Officer Jawahar Shanthakumar, Member of Parliament K.C. Palanisamy, Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies K. Sivaji, District Supply officer Sidhar Mahalingam and other officials participated in the deliberations.