Govt’s digital push leads to removal of 58 Million fake ration cards

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Indian government's extensive digitisation efforts have significantly transformed the Public Distribution System (PDS), setting new global standards for food security programs, according to the Union Food Ministry on Wednesday. The revamp of the PDS, which serves over 80 crore beneficiaries, has led to the removal of 5.8 crore fake ration cards, achieved through Aadhaar-based authentication and electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) verification. This has resulted in a substantial reduction in leakages and improved targeting, the ministry stated.

Almost all of the 20.4 crore ration cards have now been digitised, with 99.8% linked to Aadhaar and 98.7% of beneficiaries' credentials verified through biometric authentication. The government has also deployed 5.33 lakh e-PoS devices across fair price shops, allowing Aadhaar-based authentication during the distribution process, ensuring that the food grains reach the rightful beneficiaries. Currently, Aadhaar authentication is used for the distribution of nearly 98% of total food grains, which has significantly reduced leakage to ineligible beneficiaries and minimized the risk of pilferage. The eKYC initiative has successfully validated 64% of all PDS beneficiaries, with the verification process continuing for the remaining individuals.

On the supply side, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has introduced an end-to-end supply chain management system, including vehicle location tracking integrated with railways for real-time monitoring of food shipments. The ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme allows beneficiaries to collect rations anywhere in the country using their existing cards. This digitisation and enhanced supply chain management have enabled the government to set a global benchmark for food security initiatives, ensuring targeted delivery and the elimination of fake ration cards.