SRINAGAR: The Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs in Jammu and Kashmir has strongly denied misleading reports circulating on social media, particularly a video claiming that the government had cancelled 1.5 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards, allegedly affecting a large number of families and causing distress. The department labelled these claims as completely false and based on incorrect assumptions.
In a statement issued to clarify the situation, the department pointed out that no such order had been issued. It also rebutted the figures mentioned in the viral video, which did not align with the actual data. The deletion of 1.27 lakh ration cards, previously reported in Parliament as part of efforts to remove fake and duplicate cards, was an ongoing process. This figure is related to deletions carried out over the past decade, as part of a nationwide reform under the Government of India’s Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS).
The department explained that the removal of fake and duplicate ration cards and beneficiaries is a vital part of the reforms aimed at ensuring a more efficient and accurate distribution system. This process is being implemented through technology-based interventions, including Aadhaar seeding, eKYC, and field verification. These measures have helped to uncover a significant number of duplicate ration cards, which were then deleted from the system.
At the same time, the department has been working to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries are included in the PDS. This initiative has successfully added 8.6 lakh new beneficiaries to the system since the introduction of a more reliable Ration Card Management System in September 2022.
The department further clarified that the only recent order related to PDS concerned the inclusion of children born between 2011 and 2016 in their family ration cards, ensuring that these households receive additional benefits. Furthermore, the department has been proactive in ensuring the inclusion of any eligible beneficiaries who might still be left out, with efforts to expand the reach of the PDS continuing.
As a result of these efforts, the number of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), who are entitled to receive free food grains every month, has increased from 66.37 lakh to 66.59 lakh in the past three months. The department has also worked to ensure that beneficiaries who are registered on the e-Shram Portal are included in the PDS, guaranteeing that no eligible person misses out on their due share of subsidised food grains.
In a collaborative effort, the department, in coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), conducted an extensive exercise to match data for nearly 34.80 lakh e-Shram registrants in Jammu and Kashmir. Of these, around 34.40 lakh individuals are now receiving benefits under the PDS or other schemes. The remaining 40,000 registrants could not be traced or refused to share their details despite several attempts by the department.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to providing free food grains every month to 66.59 lakh beneficiaries under the NFSA and highly subsidised food grains to an additional 31.81 lakh beneficiaries in the Non-Priority Households category. This means that a total of 98.40 lakh people are currently benefitting from the PDS every month in Jammu and Kashmir.
In conclusion, the department emphasised that technological interventions like Aadhaar seeding and e-PDS are crucial to ensuring that marginalised communities receive their fair share of ration distribution. These efforts will remain a priority to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries are served under the Targeted Public Distribution System, while ineligible ones are excluded from the system.
