e-KYC updation of 2 crore PDS beneficiaries completed

Bhubaneswar: The e-KYC updation of over two crore beneficiaries of the public distribution system (PDS) has been completed in Odisha and that of the remaining 1.5 crore will be done in the next 45 days, a minister said on Sunday.

The ongoing exercise is aimed at ensuring that genuine beneficiaries covered under the food security schemes of the Centre and the State government get the benefits, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said.

“The e-KYC of over 2 crore beneficiaries has been completed while it will take another one and half months for verification of the remaining 1.50 crore,” he said.Speaking to mediapersons, the minister said the government is carrying out the process for updation of e-KYC (know your customer) to detect ineligible beneficiaries.

“After completion of the verification process, the ineligible beneficiaries will be discarded and new eligible ones will be included under the public distribution system,” he said. According to official data, altogether 2.88 crore people of 80.13 lakh families have been included under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).Similarly, 37.41 lakh people of 12.52 lakh families have been availing of benefits under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).

In addition, 10.02 lakh beneficiaries of 3.15 lakh families are benefiting from the State food security scheme.In total, about 80 per cent of the State’s population has been covered under food security schemes.