No suspension of unused PDS cards: Kamaraj

Answering a question of DMK MLA M Subramanian, who cited the Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s statement that ration cards must be cancelled if they were not used for more than three months, the Minister said what the Union Minister stated was only a suggestion and not a policy decision. 

In Tamil Nadu, commodities are being provided to families even if they did not buy anything for more than three months. The government is taking action to supply commodities to people whenever they visited the PDS shop. 

When those who had gone to other places return to their native place, they should register themselves in the ration shops. After the registration, commodities would be provided to them, he said. 

Raising the issue, Subramanian said Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who addressed the meeting of Food Ministers had said the PDS cards of families who did not buy commodities for more than three months could be cancelled. 

He said construction workers, road workers and textile mill workers go to various districts from their native places for work and return only after three months. The Union Minister’s announcement would deprive such families from buying commodities at ration shops.