Dead man gets subsidy on food grains, two held

SURAT: Vijay Gondaliya (35), a resident of Varachha in Surat, was in for a shock when he learnt that his maternal grandfather Nagjibhai Sukhadiya, who died in 1998 at the age of 70, had purchased 25 kg wheat, 10 kg rice, 2 kg sugar and one kilogram salt recently from a fair price shop (FPS) in Rikadiya village in Amreli district.
Government records also showed that subsidised food grains was also purchased in the name of Gondaliya’s grandmother Raliyatben — who died in 2000 — from the same FPS, which is near their native village Devaliya, in December 2017.

This information was revealed during investigation into the statewide racket of food grain pilferage using biometric data of beneficiaries registered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Eight persons have been arrested so far in connection with the racket that has brought to the fore vulnerability of government in securing the storing biometric data of common citizens.

“After learning about the scam using biometric data, I checked the details of my ration card and found purchases from FPS in Rikadiya done in name of my maternal grandparents using biometric thumb impression. How can one make purchase in name of persons who had died so many years ago. Police need to probe how the purchases were validated using thumb impressions,” said Gondaliya, who runs textile weaving unit in Surat. His family has donated Rs 40 lakh for various developmental work in their native village.
However, Amreli district administration also could not explain how the purchases were validated. “We have initiated an inquiry into the matter as it has come to our notice that there are two ration cards issued to the family and both were in use,” deputy collector, Amreli, V M Prajapati said. Prajapati, however, could not explain how the purchases were made using the thumb impression of the person who died two decades ago.
Sources in the police said this case indicated that forged data was being used to add beneficiaries under the NFSA. They said name of dead people could have been included with thumb impression of some local person while forming the database.
“It has come to our knowledge that attempts are being made to remove the biometric authentication system for sale from FPS. Biometric authentication should not be removed, but it should be made more foolproof,” an RTI activist Ajay Jangid said.
by Yagnesh Bharat Mehta via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India