New Delhi:
Addressing a press conference, Gupta said the government had cancelled around 7.72 lakh “invalid” ration cards after conducting an extensive verification and audit exercise across the national capital. She also announced that fresh applications for ration cards would soon be invited through an online process.
“In Delhi, no ration cards were issued in the last 13 years,” Gupta said, adding that the previous system had resulted in large-scale irregularities and exclusion of genuinely eligible beneficiaries.
According to the chief minister, the audit led to the removal of 1.44 lakh beneficiaries who did not meet the prescribed income criteria. Another 35,800 beneficiaries were removed because they had not collected ration for a prolonged period, while 29,580 names belonged to deceased persons. Authorities also identified 23,394 duplicate ration cards during the verification process.
At present, the income ceiling for obtaining a ration card in Delhi is Rs 1.2 lakh per annum. Gupta said the proposed increase to Rs 2.5 lakh annually is aimed at extending food security benefits to a larger number of economically vulnerable families struggling with inflation and rising household expenses.
The proposal to revise the income criterion is expected to be placed before the Delhi Cabinet for formal approval in its next meeting.
Officials said the fresh digital application process would be linked with Aadhaar and other verification databases to ensure transparency and reduce duplication. The government is also expected to introduce stricter monitoring mechanisms to prevent misuse of subsidised foodgrain schemes in future.
The move comes as the Delhi government seeks to streamline welfare delivery systems and update beneficiary databases that had remained largely unchanged for years. Authorities believe the revised eligibility norms could bring lakhs of new low-income households under the public distribution system.