Bandipora : Around Seventy percent of ‘non-deserving’ households, who were holding AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana), PHH (Priority Households) ration cards have been weeded out from the particular categories in Bandipora district of north Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.
Assistant Director, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Bandipora, Bilal Ahmad told GNS that the department has canceled around 70% of the PHH & AAY bogus ration cards in the district while the exercise to find out the authenticity of remaining 30% is in full swing.
He said that among the canceled ration cards, mostly were on the names of government employees, pensioners and other financially sound households.
He appealed the ‘ineligible’ PHH and AAY card, whose economic status has increased over the time to surrender their ration cards in the concerned Tehsil Supply Office within 15 days, adding the department will initiate legal action after the lapse of the given time period.
“Since the implementation of NFSA Act 2013 in 2016, two categories of households viz AAY & PHH identified on the basis of poorest of poor were registered for receiving ration on highly subsidized rates,” reads an order issued by AD Foods Bandipora.
“Since the implementation of NFSA Act 2013 more than seven (07) years have passed and reportedly the economic status of many families have improved”, it reads adding “a number of representations are being received by this office on daily basis for adjusting them under AAY/PHH.”
“Whereas, frequent inputs have been received from various quarters that some in-eligible/non deserving households are still getting benefits of AAY/PHH Ration Cards which is quite contrary to the guidelines and is sheer injustice to those who are needy and deserving and as reported by field functionaries many families whose economic status has improved by way of Govt. Employment, Business and other sources are not cooperating with them for conversion of their Ration Cards from PHH/AAY to NPHH/EX”, reads the order.
“Now in view of above (observations) and through the medium of this circular, all the Households whose economic status has improved and are still having AAY/PHH Ration Cards are hereby informed to surrender their AAY/PHH Ration Cards to their concerned Tehsil Supply Office within fifteen days (15) falling which action under norms shall be initiated forthwith,” the order added. (GNS)
