The Yogi Adityanath government has ordered a probe into distribution of ration cards in Uttar Pradesh. The government also directed fresh survey of families belong to below poverty line. It has also directed that a new list be prepared. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh government had decided to not distribute over 60 lakh ration cards printed by the Akhilesh Yadav government as they featured a photograph of the former chief minister.

The new Aadhaar-linked ration cards will also have silicon chips and barcodes. It will also have details of the beneficiary. Till the new cards are made and distributed, the beneficiaries will be given paper-slips for the purpose of ration. The Adityanath-led Government will also form a task force to stop illegal possession of government land and a three-level task force for taking appropriate action against the land mafia.

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Earlier, CM Adityanath had ordered strict action against the food grain and ration mafia, while directing the officials to submit reports of closed sugar mills in the state. “The poor people must be issued ration cards, while stringent action be initiated against the food grain and ration mafia. The superintendents of police and district magistrates must act tough against these mafia through sustained campaigns,” he had said while chairing a review meeting of officials of Gorakhpur and Basti divisions.

He had directed the officials concerned to submit a report on the revival of closed sugar mills and repair of those mills which were not functioning properly. The Chief Minister had asked the district magistrates to ensure that the benefits of the government schemes reach the needy.

Meanwhile, as part of its zero tolerance towards rampant power theft, the Uttar Pradesh government had said it will adopt “the tough Gujarat Model” which envisages constitution of dedicated vigilance squads and setting up special police stations to check pilferage. “An iron hand approach is needed to tackle the menace of rampant power theft. The state government will adopt the tough Gujarat Model for checking power theft which has turned out to be a big problem,” Power Minister Shrikant Sharma said.

(With agency inputs)