Chennai: After the DMK government assumed office in May 2021, over 10 lakh new ration cards have been issued and in line with the commitment to do away with bogus cards, more than one lakh cards have been canceled, Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani told the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday.
The Minister, in a policy note for his department said, the government decided to issue Smart Family Cards to sex workers living alone or with a family in Tamil Nadu. As per the decision, 86,986 family cards have been issued to them as on March 21, 2022.
As part of end-to-end computerisation, essential commodities are supplied to the family cardholders using Smart Family Cards in fair price shops.
From May 7, 2021 to March 21, 2022, the number of new Smart Family (ration) Cards issued stood at 10,92,064. The government assumed office on May 7 last year.
The government is committed to remove all bogus ration cards. "From May 2021 to February 2022, 1,98,264 cards have been deleted," he said.
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It has been decided to compare the existing family card data with data related to various welfare schemes by other government departments and the data being maintained by local bodies to have real-time inclusion/deletion under the Public Distribution System in co-ordination with Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency.
Transgenders are recognised as an integral part of society, the Minister said. The government is providing smart family cards to the transgender either single or as family residing in the State. Till March 21, 2022 as many as 2,429 family cards have been issued to them.
The Food and Consumer Protection policy note for 2022-23 was tabled in the House on Friday.
Totally, there are 2,21,31,032 Smart Family (Ration) Cards in Tamil Nadu. The Smart Family Cards are similar to a debit/credit card.