The Delhi government has announced plans to issue 2.89 lakh new ration cards, as part of an ongoing verification process of existing cardholders. This move aims to remove names of individuals who are ineligible for free ration, including those who pay income tax.
Verification of Existing Cardholders Underway
Since March-April 2025, the government has been conducting e-KYC verification of Delhi’s 17.5 lakh existing ration cardholders. Preliminary results indicate that over 1.71 lakh individuals were ineligible, continuing to receive subsidized ration despite being income taxpayers. The verification also uncovered thousands of deceased beneficiaries still receiving rations, and around 80,000 duplicate entries in the system.
Comprehensive Verification to Clear the List
Following e-KYC, the government will launch a comprehensive verification drive. This includes verifying addresses of all ineligible cardholders. Notices will be issued if individuals are not found at their registered addresses. Subsequently, deceased, duplicate, and ineligible beneficiaries will be removed, freeing up slots for new ration cards.
Why New Ration Cards Have Been Pending
The central government has capped Delhi’s total ration card beneficiaries at 72,77,952. The quota has been full, which prevented new ration cards from being issued since 2013. Once the current verification is complete, the government plans to process 1.11 lakh applications in the first phase, adding approximately 2.01 lakh eligible beneficiaries. In total, the new ration cards are expected to benefit around 9.8 lakh people.
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