Mangaluru: State Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader assured that all pending ration cards will be issued in three months, by using the GP services held on Friday.

“We have planned to provide services to eligible BPL card holders to get their ration cards on time,” he said at a press conference at the circuit house on Friday. He expressed happiness on getting a new portfolio, after being the health minister. Khader said his focus is on issuing ration cards. “There are about 10 lakh ration cards which need to be issued in the state. We aim to issue them in three months,” he said.

He said there will be an online system for issuing APL ration cards. The process will be streamlined, and beneficiaries will not face any hurdles. He said those eligible for BPL cards will not face any restrictions like owning landline phones, two-wheeler vehicles or others. He said the Food Department will liberalize in issuing of ration cards. He said the Food Department will help families living in rented houses, the poor who live in shelters and nomads. “We plan to provide ration card processing systems to GPs by improving their server capacity, as soon as possible,” he added.

Khader said there is a plan to provide more food grains under the ration system. and also to assure that they are of a good quality. “Strict orders will be issued to ration stores to remain open till 8:30 pm,” he added. “Complaints against any problems in ration stores or in the supply of food, can be lodged on the toll-free number 1967,” he added.