Chandigarh, October 1: “The Smart Ration Card Scheme is one of the flagship schemes of the State Government intended to benefit the actual beneficiaries and eliminating the bogus ones.” This was disclosed here today by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Bharat Bhushan Ashu while presiding over a meeting of the Group of Ministers to review the Smart Ration Card Scheme.
The minister further said that the department is running the scheme in accordance with the National Food Security Act, 2013 and has gone in for the end to end computerization which is the hallmark of the scheme. The various aspects of computerization such as data base digitization, supply chain management and the Fair Price Shops automation help in removing ineligible beneficiaries besides going a long way in ensuring transparency and hassle free distribution of food items. The minister also divulged that a live portal epos.punjab.gov.in is operational to monitor the progress of the distribution scheme.
The minister further said that no laxity in the implementation of the scheme would be tolerated and those deviating from the path of transparency in providing benefits of the scheme to the public would be strictly dealt with.
Among other dignitaries present on the occasion included Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Mr. Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Cooperation and Jails Minister S. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, MLAs Mr. Kuljit Singh Nagra, Mr. Barindermeet Singh Pahra, Mr. Pritam Singh Kotbhai, Mr. Rajinder Singh Chaudhary, Mr. Madan Lal Jalalpur and Mr. Kulbir Singh Zira, Director (Food) Punjab cum MD PUNGRAIN Mrs. Anindita Mitra, Director Rural Development and Panchayat Mr. Jaskiran Singh, Additional Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Mrs. Simerjot Kaur and the Additional Director Social Security, Women and Child Development Mrs. Lily Chaudhary.
