Over 4.3 Crore Bogus Ration Cards Cancelled Since 2013 As Part Of Technology-Driven PDS Reforms: Govt

Around 4.39 crore ineligible and bogus ration cards have been weeded out across the country from 2013 to 2020 by the state and UT governments, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said on Friday (6 November).

These ration cards were cancelled as part of the technology-driven PDS reforms initiated across the country to modernise the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and to improve transparency and efficiency in operations.

This was taken up through digitisation of ration cards/beneficiaries database, Aadhaar seeding, detection of ineligible/bogus ration cards, prevention of duplication of digitised data, updating migration/deaths of beneficiaries during the run-up to the implementation of NFSA.

Further, the respective quota of NFSA coverage thus released, is being regularly utilised by concerned State/UT for the ‘Rightful Targeting’ of beneficiaries under NFSA i.e. inclusion/addition of other genuine & rightfully eligible beneficiaries/households by issuing new ration cards to them, while remaining within the respective ceiling limits of coverage defined for each States/UT under the Act, the ministry said.

The NFSA provides coverage for 81.35 Crore persons to receive highly subsidised foodgrains through TPDS, which is nearly two-third of the country’s population as per the census of 2011.

Currently, more than 80 Crore persons in the country are receiving foodgrains (rice, wheat and coarse grains) at highly subsidised Central Issue Prices of Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg respectively under NFSA, on monthly basis, the ministry added.