Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 31 (ANI): The Uttarakhand government has announced that the cost of refilling LPG cylinders under the Chief Minister Antyodaya Free Gas Refill Scheme will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

However, to ensure the funds are used solely for this purpose, the Food and Civil Supplies Department will put in place mechanisms to restrict the use of this amount exclusively for gas refills.

According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), 1 lakh 84 thousand Antyodaya cardholder families in the state are associated with this scheme, and about 10 lakh people in the state are taking advantage of the scheme.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while reviewing the Food Department in the Secretariat on Thursday, directed the officials to ensure that the Antyodaya cardholders get 100 per cent benefit of this scheme.

Uttarakhand is the first state in the country to implement the Chief Minister Antyodaya Free Gas Refill Scheme.

The Chief Minister directed in the meeting that the data of all the beneficiaries registered under the National Food Security Act should be updated. Senior citizens and other eligible individuals should not be denied ration due to biometric issues; in such cases, ration distribution should be facilitated through offline authentication or an alternative system.

The current capacity of foodgrain storage and the physical condition of the godowns should be reviewed, and arrangements for protected and safe storage should be ensured. He emphasised the need for the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme to be implemented effectively, ensuring that ration can be obtained from anywhere without hindrance.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to ensure monitoring of real-time transaction data on the e-Purti portal. 'Aadhar seeding and mobile OTP-based distribution systems should be strengthened. Fake ration cards should be identified, and action should be taken against those responsible. Dealers and officials who are negligent or irregular should be suspended immediately,' the CM said as per the CMO.

'Complete ration should be made available to all cardholders on time every month. Solid arrangements for pre-stocking should be ensured in remote and mountainous areas. The condition of state godowns should be reviewed, and modernisation and expansion should be done as per the need,' he added.

The Uttarakhand CM also asserted that a buffer stock plan should be prepared for every district. Timely supply of foodgrains to mid-day meal and Anganwadi centres should be ensured. Timely disposal of complaints received on the food grievance redressal system should be ensured. (ANI)