Odisha's PDS Overhaul: Dead Beneficiaries Removed, New Names Added

The Odisha government has removed 1.77 lakh dead beneficiaries' names from the PDS. This action, carried out since June 2024, followed the Supreme Court’s directive. New migrant workers have been added to the lists, enhancing the effectiveness of the state's food distribution schemes.

The Odisha government has taken a significant step to refine its Public Distribution System (PDS) by eliminating the records of over 1.77 lakh deceased beneficiaries since mid-June 2024, as revealed in the state assembly on Wednesday.

In response to a query raised by Congress MLA Sofia Firdous, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra confirmed the absence of false ration cards in the state since the aforementioned date. Patra elaborated that the highest numbers of deletions occurred in Ganjam district, followed by districts such as Balasore and Bhadrak.

Simultaneously, 1.77 lakh migrant laborers are now included in the PDS, complying with directives from the Supreme Court. The state has also facilitated rice distribution to over 3.26 crore people under the NFSA and 10.03 lakh under the SFSS, accommodating an immense demand for national and state food security schemes.

(With inputs from agencies.)