Odisha Government to Distribute 15 Lakh New Ration Cards from New Year

Bhubaneswar: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Tuesday announced that the Odisha government will distribute 15 lakh new ration cards to eligible beneficiaries starting from the New Year.

Addressing the media, the minister said the state had received 15.33 lakh applications for new ration cards, of which 6.39 lakh cards have already been issued. As part of the verification process, the government has removed 8.16 lakh ineligible ration cards from the beneficiary list. These included cards held by income tax payers, government and private job holders, as well as deceased beneficiaries.

Minister Patra further informed that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the issuance of an additional 15 lakh ration cards to ensure that all eligible families are covered under the public distribution system.

The distribution process is expected to begin shortly, providing relief to thousands of deserving households across the state.