Tue Dec 24 17:09:26 UTC 2024: ## J&K Govt. Forms Committees to Verify PDS Beneficiary Database Amidst Cancellation Allegations

**Srinagar, December 25, 2024** – The Jammu and Kashmir government has established district-level committees to scrutinize the Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiary database. This follows allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that 1.27 lakh ration cards have been cancelled in the Union Territory, leaving many without access to essential food supplies.

The committees, headed by Deputy Commissioners, will verify existing beneficiaries, identify eligible individuals who may have been excluded, and remove ineligible entries. They are also tasked with completing the e-KYC process for all pending eligible beneficiaries.

The government insists the initiative aims to streamline the PDS and ensure benefits reach those in need. However, PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra criticized the alleged cancellations, stating they deprived lakhs of people of their right to food, particularly those receiving additional rations under the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES). He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene.

The Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs refuted the PDP’s claims, stating that the quoted figure is inaccurate and that deletions of fake and duplicate ration cards have been ongoing since 2013 as part of nationwide reforms. The department also highlighted the addition of 8.6 lakh eligible beneficiaries to the PDS since September 2022, following the implementation of a new Ration Card Management System. The verification process is expected to clarify the discrepancies and ensure the efficient distribution of food supplies.

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