KOCHI: The civil supplies department has extended the deadline to return priority ration cards without penalty or other legal action till July 15.
As of June 30, which was the first deadline, around 5,500 cards have been transferred to general category or non-priority cards based on the applications received in various categories under the district civil supplies office.
This is much less than what officials expected because there are more than 2.6 lakh priority card households, and many more are likely to have moved out of this category in Ernakulam district.
People with monthly income of Rs 25,000, 1,000 sq ft house with land, two vehicles, central, state government / semi-government / public sector / cooperative sector employees or pensioners will fall in the non-priority list.
Officials said that many people have not bothered to change their card even if their income has gone up.
The department will start inspections and raids at the taluk level. A special squad will be set up to check the eligibility. Fines will be levied from violators.
