Vijayawada: State Assembly Deputy Speaker and Assembly Petitions Committee chairman K Raghurama Krishnaraju said that the petitions committee was urging the State government to issue NTR Aarogyasri health cards without linking them with white ration cards to prevent smuggling of ration rice.
He said that the petitions committee will submit its proposals to State government soon. Speaking to mediapersons at his chamber in Assembly on Tuesday, the Deputy Speaker said that people were eager to get NTR Aarogyasri cards.
He said if the present system of linkage of white ration cards to get the Aarogyasri card was delinked, the misuse and smuggling of ration rice can be curbed.
He said as a result of linkage of ration cards everyone was trying to get white ration cards and misusing the ration rice.
Raghuramakrishna Raju pointed out that of the total 1.70 crore families, 1.48 crore families were having white ration cards and the State government has been spending Rs 5,100 crore.
If the government delinks the system of issuing Aarogyasri card for those having white ration card, the government can save Rs 2,000 crore which can be utilised for the health sector.
He said if the government delinks the white ration card with pensions and other welfare schemes, it can save a huge amount.
Earlier, Assembly Petitions Committee members Konatala Ramakrishna, P Vishnu Kumar Raju, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Special Chief Secretary (Health) M T Krishna Babu, Commissioner of Civil Supplies Sowrabh Gaur, Assembly secretary genral Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, deputy secretary K Rajakumar and assistant secretary R Srinivasa Rao participated in the meeting.
