The state food & supplies department has rolled out a new form so that people who do not avail the facilities of food grains under National Food Security can surrender their ration cards. The new form (Form 10) will be available in the department’s website and camps will be organised to help people to fill up the forms.
“After surrendering the existing ration cards, people would receive a new identity card which will help them to get a discount while purchasing items from a leading Indian retail chain of hypermarkets, department stores, and grocery stores. We are holding talks to finalise the discount rates,” said Jyotipriya Mallick, state food and supplies minister. Two years back, the department had signed an MoU with the Future Group for converting ration shops across the state into mini malls.
Under which, 403 products that are available at the popular supermarket chain stores are available in the ration shops in North 24 Parganas district. The project is presently being implemented in Hooghly and Howrah and will follow in the other districts later. Sources in the food department said that the government has proposed a discount of seven per cent while the retail chain under its parent organisation Future Group wants to offer four per cent. The Centre had fixed a quota of 6.1 crore people under National Food Security in Bengal who can avail the benefits of subsidised food grains.
The target has already been reached and so no new beneficiaries can be added afresh. “Now, once the old ration cards are surrendered, more and more needy people can derive benefits of the subsidised food grains,” the official said. The new card would cancel the old ration cards and food grains or kerosene oil would no longer be availed through this card. But the new card will act as an identity proof with the address and other necessary details of a person. Any person above the age of five can apply for this new card. It will be sent through post to the address of the beneficiary, added the official.