Fact Check: Did the UP government order the surrender of ration cards?

Lucknow, May 23: The Uttar Pradesh Congress had accused the BJP of tricking the poor into voting for it during the assembly elections in name of free food grains given to them during the Covid pandemic and now forcing them to surrender their ration cards.

The party made the allegation amid the state government's ongoing drive to verify the eligibility of ration cardholders. The authorities have reportedly asked ineligible beneficiaries to surrender their ration cards. However, if you have violated the rule, the authorities could take an against you.

However, Uttar Pradesh government has made it clear that no new order has been issued in the state regarding the surrender or cancellation of ration cards.

Refuting the misleading and false reports circulated in this regard in certain sections of the media, State Food Commissioner Saurav Babu said that ration card verification was a normal process that took place from time to time.

He further clarified that no new changes have been made regarding eligibility criterion of household ration cards. He also said that no provision of recovery from ineligible cardholders has been prescribed and no instructions have been issued from the government level or from the Food Commissioner's office regarding recovery.

He said that the department always issues new ration cards to the eligible cardholders according to their eligibility and from April 1, 2020, till now, a total of 29.53 lakh new ration cards have been issued by the department to the eligible beneficiaries in the state.