Good News for Ration Card Seekers: Over 8 Lakh Vacancies in Delhi

Residents of Delhi who have been waiting for a ration card have reason to celebrate. Following an extensive verification process, around 8.27 lakh new vacancies for ration card beneficiaries have been created in the capital. The government removed millions of names from the beneficiary list after careful scrutiny, and the process to issue new ration cards to eligible residents will begin soon.

Verification Results
The verification, initiated by the BJP government after assuming office, found that over 8.27 lakh individuals were not eligible for ration cards. Among them, 6.46 lakh had sufficient income yet were availing free ration. Additionally:

• 95,682 individuals had not collected ration for over a year.
• 23,394 duplicate ration cards were identified.
• 6,185 beneficiaries had passed away, yet their families continued to receive benefits.
• 56,372 individuals voluntarily applied to cancel their ration cards.

Ongoing Need
Officials state that the removal of ineligible names will allow the government to process pending applications. Currently, over 11.65 lakh residents in Delhi still require food security.

New Allocation Process
Under the revised rules, district-level committees chaired by the District Magistrate (DM) or Additional District Magistrate (ADM) will determine priority for ration cards, with two local MLAs included as members. The quota for ration cards will now be allocated based on district population, with larger populations receiving proportionately higher quotas. This system will be implemented after this year’s census.

Breakdown of Verification Findings

• Total people still needing food security: 11,65,965
• Total beneficiary quota in Delhi: 72.77 lakh
• Names removed due to income mismatch: 6,46,123
• Voluntary cancellations: 56,372
• Beneficiaries inactive for over a year: 95,682
• Duplicate beneficiaries identified: 23,394
• Deceased beneficiaries: 6,185

Who Will Not Be Eligible for Ration Cards?

1. Individuals owning property in categories A to E in Delhi.
2. Income tax payers.
3. Owners of private four-wheeler or commercial vehicles.
4. Households with electricity connections exceeding 2 kW.
5. Government employees.

With this step, Delhi aims to ensure that ration cards reach those who genuinely need them, improving access to food security for its citizens.