Bhubaneswar: While the Odisha government has issued a new ration card application form for its own food security scheme, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Surya Narayan Patro uploading the same on his social media account is raising eyebrows.
The minister has sent the soft copies of the application forms to the Block chairmen and presidents from his Facebook and Twitter accounts on their WhatsApp asking them to fill them up and apply for ration cards in their respective blocks at the earliest.
Talking to the media about the matter here on Sunday, the minister said that the state government through the district collectors and Civil Supply officials has informed the eligible and left-out beneficiaries to include their name in its own food security scheme. To enable the beneficiaries, the government has sent the new application forms to all the blocks, which will be sent to all panchayats.
Asked whether he has sent these forms to the block chairmen and presidents on the instruction of the party, Patro said it was his personal message to his party men.
“I have sent these forms to the WhatsApp of the block chairmen and presidents as they belong to the BJD and are very close to me. I have just informed them about the new application forms and asked them to download these forms and apply in the block office at the earliest. It is my personal message to them,” he clarified.