Bhubaneswar, Nov 30: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee decided to gherao all Gram Panchayat (GP) offices across the state on December 11 protesting against the allegedly irregularity in digital ration cards distribution by the BJD-ruled State Government to the beneficiaries in the state under the National Food Security Act.
PCC president Prasad Harichandan announced this after the important discussions held with district presidents and office bearers at the Congress Bhawan here.
“Priority households those who live in hunger have been excluded from the list, whereas rich families in connivance with government officials have managed to get ration cards. Police is registering cases against those who are raising their voice or are protesting against the irregularities. Our party will demand for inclusion of all poor families in the list,” said Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan.
He also added that the prime purpose of the NFSA, enacted during the former Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, has not been served in true letter and spirit by the BJD Government in Odisha.
Reacting on congress‘s gherao gram panchayats offices, BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said, “About 3.26 crore people will get ration cards in the state out of a total population of 4.21 crore which is about 70-75% of the population and this is no mean achievement. Distributing ration cards to about 75% of the population of a state is sure to have some administrative hurdles. The departmental minister, secretary and district collectors are trying their level best for its proper implementation’.
