Bhubaneswar: The state government has asked the district collectors to refund the fine collected from the ineligible ration card holders by November 30 and submit the utilization certificates accordingly.
According to sources, the government has issued over 1.22 lakh ration cards to ineligible persons under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Later, the state government has cancelled the ration the said cards and asked them to deposit the amount of foodgrains they received through the ration card.
The Opposition strongly criticized the government’s move, following which the government decided to refund the collected amount to the concern ineligible ration card holders, source said.
The government had collected `42, 13, 90, 000 from the ineligible ration card holders, which it is now refunding. So far, a fund of `36,27,55,785 has been released to the districts in 17 phases based on requisitions received from districts. The balance fund of `5.87 crore is with Orissa State Civil Supply Corporation (OSCSC) Ltd for release to districts, the source said.
The government is refunding the money to the concerned ineligible ration card holders online to their bank accounts.
The food supplies and consumer welfare department recently wrote a letter to all collectors asking them to refund the balance amount to the concern ineligible ration card holders by November 30 or surrender the sum that has not been disbursed.
The government has also sought Utilisation Certificates (UCs) from the collectors. Out of 30 districts, 11 districts have so far submitted UC of `12, 35, 41, 956, while the government is yet to get UCs for expenditure of `23,92,13,892, they said.
PNN
