New Delhi, 20 August (Kiran News). Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 19.17 crore ration cards have been issued so far, covering 76.10 crore beneficiaries across the country.
For the first time, the central government has identified ration card holders who are not eligible for the benefits of the free foodgrain scheme. These beneficiaries include income tax payers, four-wheeler owners, and company directors. The Department of Food and Public Distribution prepared this list by matching ration card holders’ details with government agencies such as the Income Tax Department, Ministry of Road Transport, and Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The investigation found that 94.71 lakh ration card holders are taxpayers, 17.51 lakh own four-wheelers, and 5.31 lakh are company directors. In total, about 1.17 crore card holders fall under the ineligible category. Now, the Centre has directed states to conduct ground-level verification and remove these ineligible card holders from the list by 30 September.
A Food Department official told The Indian Express, “The Centre has shared this data to help states remove ineligible beneficiaries and provide benefits to genuine needy persons on the waiting list. It is the responsibility of states to review ration cards, remove ineligible/duplicate cards, and include eligible beneficiaries.”
It is to be noted that under the NFSA, 19.17 crore ration cards have been issued so far, covering 76.10 crore beneficiaries across the country. According to rules, government employees, families with annual income of ₹1 lakh or more, four-wheeler owners, and taxpayers are not eligible for free ration.
In a letter sent to states and union territories on 8 July 2025, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said this exercise is being done to ensure ration reaches the right people. He wrote that the ministry has identified ineligible beneficiaries by collating information from various agencies such as CBDT, CBIC, MCA, MoRTH, and PM-Kisan.
Chopra said, “The accuracy of the database will benefit genuinely deprived families and ensure transparency in the public distribution system. This work should be completed by 30 September 2025.”
In July, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha that 1.34 crore “fake/ineligible” ration cards had already been cancelled between 2021 and 2023. Currently, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), ration card holders receive foodgrains entirely free of cost.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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