Tamil Nadu Food Minister R. Kamaraj has said that the Govt. has relaxed its policy announced earlier that rational card holders not possessing SMART card won’t be provided with food items at ration shops across the State.

The State had earlier fixed the deadline of March 1 for all ration-card holders to take possession of their SMART cards (in place of ration cards). The Edapadi Palaniswami-led State Govt. has introduced SMART cards (akin to ATM/debit cards in appearance) to avert irregularities/corruption in PDS Ration Shops supplying essential food items to the people. The scheme was introduced from last April.

Speaking to newsmen a few days back, Kamaraj said that most of the ration card holders had been issued SMART cards without which they can’t get food items supplied at PDS shops from 01st March onwards.

Speaking to journalists in Tiruvarur on Saturday, the Minister said that the SMART card-issuing work had been going on at full swing and was expected to be over by 28th February. “However, those who hadn’t got their SMART cards due to some reason or the other shall continue to receive food items at their PDS shops,” the Minister added.