Says more than 2 lakh names already removed from list

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has sought an explanation from the Aam Aadmi Party government over the status of nearly 24 lakh beneficiaries of the free ration scheme whose cases have been flagged by the Government of India for further scrutiny.

Warring revealed that he had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, seeking details about the verification of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Responding to his question, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ms. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bhambhaniya, stated that Punjab has 1.51 crore NFSA beneficiaries across 40,93,003 ration cards.

According to the minister’s written reply, 20,69,338 beneficiaries in the state have yet to complete their e-KYC, prompting concerns about delays in the verification process.

Expressing apprehension over the situation, Warring questioned why more than two lakh beneficiaries had already been removed from the ration list. He urged the state government to clarify the reasons behind these deletions and ensure transparency.

He stressed that while no ineligible person should receive free ration, it is equally important that genuine and deserving beneficiaries are not deprived of their rightful entitlement.