Bhubaneswar: The income taxpayers were the beneficiaries availing ration cards during previous BJD government in Odisha, revealed Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra today. 

Approximately, 4 lakh income taxpayers had availed the ration cards, which were meant for poor beneficiaries, during the previous government, he stated. 

However, the process has started to exclude the ineligible beneficiaries from the scheme. 

"After the department received the data, the verification is underway to shortlist the taxpayers, who were issued the ration cards. The cards will be cancelled after we get complete info about them," he said.