AMN /
Union minister for Food and Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan today said due to initiative of NDA government 2.62 Crore bogus ration cards have been weeded out and due to this pilferage of Rupees 15,000 Crores of food subsidy stopped in the country.
Talking to mediapersons in Patna Mr. Paswan said since last two and half years digitization of ration cards and their linkage with Aadhaar identification number are on full swing to bring transparency in public distribution system.
He said the Centre has urged states like Bihar to expedite digitization of ration cards, their Aadhaar linkage and installation of POS (Point Of Sale) devices at dealer shops to check corruption and black marketing in public distribution system.
The Union minister said by the end of 2017 his ministry will achieve the goal of installation of POS machines in all 5.35 lakh PDS shops in the country.
Mr. Paswan said Bihar has shown dismal performance in linkage of Aadhaar and ration cards. He said out of 1.54 Crores ration cards in Bihar, so far 0.13 percent have been linked to Aadhaar numbers.
Earlier Mr. Paswan held review meeting of officials of FCI and State Food and Consumer Affairs department in which issues of storage and lifting of food grains were discussed.