Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 11: Ration cards of beneficiaries who have not collected their monthly foodgrains for six months have been temporarily suspended and not permanently cancelled, Director of Civil Supplies Jayant Tari clarified on Tuesday.

His clarification comes amid concerns over action taken against beneficiaries who have not drawn their entitled ration for an extended period.

Tari was speaking at a meeting chaired by newly inducted Civil Supplies Minister Sankalp Amonkar on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Amonkar assured beneficiaries that pending payments of Rs 3,000 for LPG cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana would be released within the next 15 days.

He said the department had received more than 2.5 lakh applications under the scheme, of which payments had already been disbursed to nearly one lakh beneficiaries. The remaining eligible applicants would receive their pending payments within the stipulated 15-day period, he added.

The minister also said the government would look into the concerns raised by fair price shop owners, particularly their demand for an increase in commission. He assured that he would make efforts to enhance the commission paid to fair price shop operators.