Lok Sabha Question No. 2822 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: PDS Access and Biometric Verification Issues
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Vijay Kumar Hansdak, Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, Shri Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Shri Charanjit Singh Channi, Shri K Sudhakaran, Dr. Kirsan Namdeo

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2822 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6TH AUGUST, 2025

## PDS ACCESS AND BIOMETRIC  VERIFICATION  ISSUES

## 2822. SHRI VIJAY  KUMAR  HANSDAK:

SHRI CHARANJIT  SIN(,H CHANNI:

SHRI SAPTA(,IRI  SANKAR ULAKA:

SMT. JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT:

SHRI K SUDHAKARAN:

DR. KIRSAN NAMDEO:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a): the number and percentage of ration cardholders in the country whose ration cards are Aadhaar-seeded  as of June 2025, State-wise;
- (b): the number of  failed biometric authentications at Public Distribution  System (PDS) outlets recorded month-wise during the Financial year 2024-25; and
- (c): whether any  States or  Union Territories have sought exemptions or  alternative (non-biometric) authentication measures due to  high failure rates and if  so, the details thereon

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): A  statement showing Aadhaar seeding in Ration Cards is at Annexure
- (b): No such reports of failed biometric authentications  are maintained by the Department. Further,  the  Department  has advised  all  States/UTs  that  no  genuine  beneficiary/household shall be denied their entitled quota of  foodgrains under NFSA on the ground of  failure of biometric authentication due to network/ connectivity/ linking  issues or any other technical reasons etc.
- (c): No  States/UTs have sought exemption or alternative authentication measures due to failure of biometric  authentication

SeSeSc SeScSe

Statement showing Aadhaar seeding in Ration Cards (RC)

| S.No.   | State Name                         | Total RC    | Aadhaar Seeded RC   | %of RC   |
|---------|------------------------------------|-------------|---------------------|----------|
| 1       | ANDAMANAND NICOBARISLANDS          | 17,989      | 17,989              | 100.00%  |
| 2       | ANDHRA PRADESH                     | 8,837,972   | 8,837,97?           | 100.00%  |
| 3       | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                  | 186,406     | 150,272             | 80.62%   |
| 4       | ASSAM                              | 7,030,347   | 7,025, 139          | 99.93%   |
| 5       | BIHAR                              | 20,696,745  | 20,653,930          | 99.79%   |
| 6       | CHANDIGARH                         | 85,825      | 85,504              | 99.63%   |
| 7       | CHHATTISGARH                       | 5,589,781   | 5,586,761           | 99.95%   |
| 8       | Dadar & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu | 57,773      | 57,773              | 100.00%  |
| 9       | DELHI                              | 1,746,316   | 1 ,746,316          | 100.00%  |
| 10      | GOA                                | 128,025     | 128,003             | 99.98%   |
| 11      | GUJARAT                            | 7,650,466   | L642,509            | 99.90%   |
| 12      | HARYANA                            | 4,540,017   | 4,540,017           | 100.00%  |
| 13      | HIMACHALPRADESH                    | 747,358     | 747,358             | 100.00%  |
| 14      | JAMMU AND KASHMIR                  | 1 ,658,431  | 1 ,658,424          | 100.00%  |
| 15      | JHARKHAN D                         | 6,071 ,140  | 6,025,668           | 99.25%   |
| 16      | KARNATAKA                          | 11 ,030,539 | 11 ,030,539         | 100.00%  |
| 17      | KERALA                             | 4,205,079   | 4,203,643           | 99.97%   |
| 18      | LADAKH                             | 28,748      | 28,748              | 100.00%  |
| 19      | LAKSHADWEEP                        | 5,435       | 5,431               | 99.93%   |
| 20      | MADHYA PRADESH                     | 12,964,517  | 2                   | 99.990/, |
| 21      | MAHARASHTRA                        | 16,752,994  | 16,752,752          | 100.00%  |
| 22      | MANIPUR                            | 580,641     | 578, 823            | 99.69%   |
| 23      | MEGHALAYA                          | 416,735     | 325,513             | 78.11%   |
| 24      | MIZORAM                            | 180,032     | 179,709             | 99.82%   |
| 25      | NAGALAN D                          | 344,440     | 338,897             | 98.39%   |
| 26      | ODISHA                             | 9,646, 106  | 9,623,924           | 99.77%   |
| 27      | PUDUCHERRY                         | 207,349     | 207,023             | 99.84%   |
| 28      | PUNJAB                             | 4097,681    | 4,097,521           | 100.00%  |
| 29      | RAJASTHAN                          | 10,963,427  | 10,923,232          | 99.63%   |
| 30      | SIKKIM                             | 96,252      | 96,210              | 99.96%   |
| 31      | TAMILNADU                          | 11 ,538,343 | 11 ,538,267         | 100.00%  |
| 32      | TELANGANA                          | 5,430,545   | 5,430,545           | 100.00%  |
| 33      | TRIP U RA                          | 607,594     | 606,555             | 99.83%   |
| 34      | UTTARAKHAND                        | 1 ,394,825  | 1 ,394,768          | 100.00%  |
| 35      | UTTARPRADESH                       | 36, 073,235 | 36,071 ,394         | 99.990/, |
| 36      | WESTBENGAL                         | 13,830,991  | 13,822,101          | 99.94./, |
|         | Total                              | 205,440,099 | 205,122,201         | 99.80%   |

## Annexu re