‘Ghost’ FI cards eat the poor’s quota in Assam

GUWAHATI, Nov 18: Following a directive from the Union Ministry of Consumers Affairs, the Food and Civil Supplies Department of Assam has been carrying out a drive for detection of bogus family identity cards (ration cards) and found many anomalies. The Union ministry has asked the Assam Government to carry out the drive and submit a detailed report to it by December 31 this year.

According to sources, ‘‘ghost’’ family identity (FI) cards — against people who are no longer alive or who have shifted to other places, as well as against people who exist only on paper but not in reality — have been detected in almost all the districts of the State. The Food and Civil Supplies Department has asked the district administrations to initiate action against the erring officials guilty of issuing such cards.

According to sources, the Union ministry issued the directive to the State to initiate the drive as it suspects that a number of people of doubtful nationality have been availing of the benefits being given to the poor section of the society under the fair price shop system in Assam. This apart, sources said, the Union ministry wants to make the public distribution system (PDS) corruption-free. That some fair price shops keep ‘‘ghost’’ FI cards, is an open secret, sources said. This apart, giving less quantity of commodities available under the fair price shop system on the pretext of less supply from the Centre is a common practice in the State, the sources added. THE SENTINEL