Govt Removes 5.8 Crore Fake Ration Cards Through Digital Verification

In a transformative move, India's Public Distribution System (PDS) has undergone a massive digitisation push, setting new benchmarks for food security programs worldwide. The Union Food Ministry highlighted the success of this digital overhaul on Wednesday, emphasizing its role in enhancing efficiency, transparency, and targeting within the system that caters to over 80.6 crore beneficiaries.

The digital revolution has led to the removal of 5.8 crore fake ration cards, achieved through Aadhaar-based authentication and electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) verification. These measures have significantly reduced leakages, ensuring that food benefits reach only the intended recipients.

Nearly all 20.4 crore ration cards have been digitised, with 99.8% linked to Aadhaar and 98.7% of beneficiaries’ credentials verified through biometric authentication. Furthermore, the introduction of 5.33 lakh e-PoS devices across fair price shops nationwide allows for Aadhaar-based authentication during food distribution, reinforcing the accuracy of targeting.

The government's eKYC initiative has already validated 64% of PDS beneficiaries, with the process continuing across the country. On the supply chain front, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has implemented end-to-end management systems, including a vehicle location tracking system integrated with railways for real-time monitoring of food shipments.

Additionally, the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme has enhanced portability, enabling beneficiaries to collect their rations from any fair-price shop across the country using their existing cards.

Through its comprehensive digitisation, Aadhaar integration, and supply chain innovations, India has set a global standard for food security programs, ensuring that food reaches the rightful beneficiaries while eliminating inefficiencies and fraud from the system.