Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 4 : Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi paid floral tribute to freedom fighter and social reformer Rama Devi Choudhury on her 125th birth anniversary at the Legislative Assembly premises here.
The ceremony was attended by Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Odisha minister Mukesh Mahaling, and BJD leaders, who joined in honouring the legacy of the iconic leader also known as "Maa Rama Devi".
Speaking to ANI on the occasion, Deputy CM Pravati Parida highlighted the relevance of Rama Devi's values in today's time. "We are fortunate that Rama Devi's 125th birth anniversary is being celebrated in Odisha," she said.
Remembering her struggle during British rule, Parida said that Rama Devi fought for the freedom of Odisha and India and espoused the ideology of "Nation first, individual last." Conveying a message to the youth of Odisha, Parida said, "The younger generation should come forward in making a developed Odisha."
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has intensified efforts to weed out ineligible beneficiaries from the Public Distribution System (PDS) through a state-wide e-KYC verification drive.
Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said that the initiative was launched after the BJP came to power 17 months ago, aiming to ensure transparency in ration distribution. Under the exercise, over 6.95 lakh ghost ration cards, belonging to deceased beneficiaries, have been identified and cancelled.
The national mandate of e-KYC verification, which began in August 2024, has been extended several times due to challenges such as poor internet connectivity in remote regions.
Odisha has a total of 3.28 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and over 6.48 lakh under the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS). Minister Krushna Chandra Patra informed that the deadline for completing the verification in Odisha has now been extended to December 31.