Guwahati, Feb 22: The Kamrup district administration has issued an order stating that all government service holders and pensioners must surrender their ration cards by March 15, 2022 or face action under relevant laws.
“Legal action will be initiated against the defaulters under relevant laws and the value of rice unduly utilised will also be recouped from their salaries,” the Kamrup deputy commissioner said on Tuesday.
He further urged the financially-sound families of the district to surrender their ration cards for the benefit of the marginalised sections of the district and thereby help in the all round development of the district.
In June last year, following state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass made an appeal to the affluent families to give up their ration cards to let the needy people to avail the benefits.
The minister informed that the government would be able to give ration cards to five lakh more poor families if the affluent ones surrender their cards.
Subsequently, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also urged all affluent families to give up their ration cards, which he said were meant for economically-weaker sections of society to procure food-grains at subsidised rates.
According to records, there were over 58 lakh ration cardholders in Assam till June last year.