No compulsion to link family cards with bank accounts: Food Secretary

Food Secretary J. Radhakrishnan handed over cheques worth ₹22.8 lakh to 62 persons with disabilities as loans from the Central Cooperative Bank in Kancheepuram

Food Secretary J. Radhakrishnan on Saturday said that family card holders can voluntarily link their bank accounts with the family cards.

Speaking to presspersons after handing over cheques worth ₹22.80 lakh to 62 persons with disabilities as loans from the Central Cooperative Bank in Kancheepuram, he said that of 2.23 crore cards, only 14.86 lakh families had done the linking so far. "Though it would be good if everyone links their cards with their bank accounts, there is no compulsion to do so. Shopkeepers have also been told not to insist upon customers to buy items being sold," he said. He said the State government had directed that a total of ₹12,000 crore be disbursed as loan through the cooperative sector. So far, ₹8,616 crore had been disbursed, of which ₹1,453 crore had been given out as loans in the delta districts and ₹739 crore as loans for members of SHG groups. District Collector M. Aarthi was also present during the inspection of fair price shops and godowns. Mr. Radhakrishnan said that so far 2,491 fair price shops had been renovated, 2,000 have fresh wall paintings and 4,500 shops have been certified.