Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today told the Assembly that the state government will conduct a survey to find out how many of the state ration cardholders are using the cards as identity proof and how many are withdrawing ration items. This has been necessitated by reports that some people are presenting the card as an identity proof which may be needed if there is any NRC in the state, she said.

Miss Banerjee also expressed her displeasure as around five percent of poor people in the state are still not able to get rice at Rs 2 per kilogram and asked state food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick to look into the matter immediately. During the Assembly session Miss Banerjee said, each government employee especially BDO office worker have to sincerly see that the poor is not deprived of ration and getting rice Rs 2 per kilogram. “I asked the state food and supplies minister to organise a camp at each BDO office to provide ration card after getting necessary documents,” she said.

Miss Banerjee also said that state government will conduct a survey on actual beneficiaries of rationing system. “Many people are holding ration card in fear that they could face trouble if NRC will be conducted in the state. However we will sort out who is the actual beneficiary and who is just keeping the card as an identification proof,” she said. The Bengal government has been providing foodgrains distribution scheme for almost eight-and-a-half crore people, under Khadya Sathi scheme. As of now, eight-and-a-half crore, are beneficiaries under this scheme all of whom have been provided digital ration cards.

There are four categories of beneficiaries including Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Specially Benefitted Families, Rajya Khadya Suraksha Yojana-1 (RSKY-1) and Rajya Khadya Suraksha Yojana-2 (RKSY-2). Under these schemes people are getting, 15 kilogram of rice and 20 kilogram of wheat per family (both at Rs 2 per kilogram), 2 kilogram of rice and 3 kilogram of wheat per head (both at Rs 2 per kilogram), 2 kilogram of rice and 3 kilogram of wheat per head (both at Rs 2 per kilogram), and 1 kilogram of rice and 1 kilogram of wheat per head (at Rs 13 per kilogram and Rs 9 per kilogram, respectively), on a monthly basis.