New Delhi: As the last date for stamping the above poverty line ration cards draws near, Delhi government has started scanning the "authenticity" of the income affidavits submitted by the applicants.

"We have rejected 100 ration cards as we found they were fraudulently acquired by the applicant by furnishing false details about his income to avail food grains under the Public Distribution System," Food and Civil Supplies Commissioner Vijay Dev said.

It was surprising that even those who were earning more than Rs one lakh were applying for the card, the official said.

He did not rule out more such cases of frauds and said, "appropriate action will be taken against the offender for furnishing false details about the income."

The scheme of stamping the APL cards is strictly meant for poor whose earning is less than Rs one lakh annually. And cards are being stamped by food and supplies officials on the basis of sworn affidavits of income filed by the APL card holders.

So far 14 lakh cards have been stamped and the scheme will expire on April 15.

The government decided to check the cards in random after it received information that some ineligible persons having annual income of more than Rs one lakh were also getting their APL ration cards stamped.

"The veracity of deceleration regarding income is being checked on a random basis by the Food and Supplies Department," the official said.

Under the APL category, wheat is being sold at Rs 6.80 per kg, rice at Rs nine per kg and kerosene oil at Rs 9.16 per litre at the ration shops across the city.
Source : PTI