The Himachal Pradesh Government announced to bring out the digital ration cards to replace the age old paperback documents could not see the light of day after passing year of this announcement. Talking to media persons today the State Food, Supply and Consumer affairs Minister Mr. G.S. Bali said that it would take couple of months to roll up such digital ration cards after issuing notification by the department about more than one years ago.
I would not assure whether it would be first State with such ration card however Himachal Pradesh would be among leading states who switch over to such small sized digital ration card. He said that it would take some time however it is likely to cut down number of ration card by more than one lakh reducing the duplicity. We expect that days of worn out paper back ration cards is over as the digital ration cards to be ATM sized containing the name and number of families on its back side.
Mr.Bali announced during the last Monsoon session in Assembly that it would come out by such digital ration cards by end of September 2015 however food civil supply and consumer affairs department could not meet the deadline even more than a year later. In the state about 18 lakh people were been able to issue such digital ration card forcing people to bear with the old worn out paper back ration cards issued in 2014.
The Quota of mustard oil being issued under Public Distribution System could not served for last four months as the department now purchased the mustard oil at the rate of 94 per liter which is just double to the previous prices, the consumer resents. The quality of foods and pulses are poor forcing the department to increase the quota to sold out the old stock to consumers.