Lok Sabha Question No. 5387 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Addition and Deletion of Ration Cards
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Deepender Singh Hooda

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5387

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25Tll MARCH, 2026

## ADDITION AND DELETION OF RATION CARDS

## 5387.  SHRI DEEPENDER SINGH HOODA:

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

- (a): the number of ration cards added and deleted under the Public Distribution  System (PDS) since 2014, including the current year, State, Union Territory  and year-wise;
- (b): the details of  the reasons for  deletion of  ration cards during this period, including grounds such as ineligibility, duplication,  Aadhaar seeding, migration,  income criteria or nonverification;
- (c) : whether the Government maintains any standardised criteria or guidelines  for addition and deletion of ration  cards across States and UTs  and if  so, the details thereof;  and
- (d): whether any grievance redressal or appeal mechanism exists for beneficiaries who.se ration cards have been deleted and if so, the details of the safeguards put in place to prevent exclusion of genuine beneficiaries?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a) &  (b):  As an outcome of the use of technology in Targeted Public Distribution  System (TPDS) operations, i.e., digitization  of ration cards/beneficiary databases, Aadhaar  seeding, de-duplication process, identification  of ineligible  records, deaths, permanent  migration  of beneficiaries, etc. all States/UTs have been able to weed-out approx. 6.31 crore ration cards between 2014 to 2025 in order to achieve rightful  targeting.  A  statement showing year-wise and State-wise deleted Ration Cards is at Annexure.
- (c): Under the National Food Security Act  (NFS A),  2013, the responsibility  for  identifying eligible  households rests with  the respective State Governments/UT  Administrations. As  per Section 10 of  NFSA,  2013, the State Government is required to  frame its own  inclusion and exclusion guidelines and identify  households to be covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AA-Y) and Priority Households (PHH) within the limits prescribed under Section 9  of  the Act. Accordingly, the criteria for determining eligibility  or ineligibility  of beneficiaries are defined by the respective State Governments/UTs through their Control Orders and guidelines.
- (d): The Department has undertaken several measures to strengthen digital monitoring and grievance redressal mechanisms under the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Firstly, grievance redressal systems have  been  strengthened through  the  universal availability of  toll-free helplines (1967/1800 series) across all  States/UTs. In  addition, Anna Sahayata (ASHA)  has been introduced as an AI-enabled  grievance redressal platform  leveraging WhatsApp and IVRS channels, enabling beneficiaries to lodge complaints and provide feedback  in their preferred regional languages.

The Mera Ration Mobile  App  also provides an integrated interface for  beneficiaries  to access their  entitlement details, view  transaction history,  locate nearby FPSs, and register grievances directly.

Further, monitoring has  been  strengthened  through integration with the  CPGIU\N4S platform,  wherein  States/UTs have been advised to adhere to the prescribed timeline  of 21 days for grievance disposal. Grievance pendency is regularly  monitored through dashboards, and periodic advisories are issued to  ensure timely  resolution. States/UTs with  high pendency are specifically flagged for corrective action.

These initiatives collectively enhance transparency, improve accountability, and ensure timely  delivery  of  services to beneficiaries  under the PDS.

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## STATUS OF DELETED RATION CARDS

| SI.   | State/l IT         | 2014         | 1 2015        | 2016          | 2017          | 2018        | 2019         | 2020        | 202 1        | 2022        | 2023                 | 2,1)24   | 2025       |
|-------|--------------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------|--------------|-------------|--------------|-------------|----------------------|----------|------------|
|       | Andhra Pradesh     | 5 ,45,987    |               | 4,75,023      | I 5,449       | 15,209      | 12,762       | 24,523      | 13, 128      |             | 52,610               | 512      | 102        |
|       | Andaman& Nicobar   |              |               | 7             | 6             | 47          | 42 1         | 43 1        | 196          |             | 47                   | 492 1 5  | 5068 1     |
|       | Arunachal Pradesh  |              |               | 4,396         | 56            |             |              |             |              | 1,151       | 328                  | 268      | 1128       |
|       | Assam              |              |               | 1 ,08,68 1    | no            | ma          |              | 2 1 ,29 1   | 11,120       | 28,590      | 38,590               | 161516   | 24381      |
|       | Bihar              | 21,712       | 16,40 1       | 6,291         |               |             |              | 99,404      | 15,678       | 1.61,809    | 4,49,525             | 168626 6 | 149043     |
|       | a                  |              |               |               | 88            |             |              |             |              | 684         | 2,291                | 207      | 240 1      |
|       | msgarh             | 7, 10,000    | [3,0 00       | 1 ,50,000     | 1 ,50,000     | m3          |              | 4,508       | 10,400       | 20,7 1 5    | 29,108               | 57371    | 60496      |
|       | DNH and Daman& Diu |              | 26:           | 650           | 272           | 8           |              | 5,840       | 2,454        | 73          |                      | 151      | 1101       |
|       | Delhi              |              | 38,49 6       | 22,696        | 3,969         | 2,56,987    | 381          | 8           |              | 116         | 3,686                | 6 ] 292  | 1 1438     |
| 10    | Goa                | 1 93 93      | 1 1,45,4 1 71 | 10,115 10,115 | 1 6,146 6.146 | 1,130       | 888          |             |              | 2,1 17      | 5,801                | 166      | 3467       |
| 11    | ma                 | 64,079       | 45,83 3       | 22, 1 19      | 18,965        | 95,659      | 23,038       | 9           |              | 1 ,32,5 19  | 1 ,35,362            | 30889    | 69 1 02    |
| 12    | Haryana            | 22,903       | 43,5 1 5      | 19,648        | 29,686        | 2,9 1 ,926  |              |             |              | 1 ,96, 1 74 | 8,49,972             | 328557   | 1343474    |
| 3     | Himachal Pradesh   | 235          |               | 1,148         | 172           | 56,858      | 367          | 4,376       | 2,538        | 3,299       | 7,551                | 9673     | 7400       |
| 4     | Jammuand Kashmir   | 640          | 3,325         | 50.709        | 664           | 3,428       | 13,869       | 13,224      | 33.677       | 2,927       | 5,403                | 4767     | 3036       |
|       | Jharkhand          | 19           | 7,914         | 4,46,025      | 3,59,793      | 82,394      | 60,333       | 65,234      |              | 75,137      | 29,77 1              | 6374     | 67730      |
| i     | Karnataka          | 6,64,755     | 7,6 1 ,3 26   | 1 ,44,432     | 3,26,382      | 73,675      | 1 ,09,312    | 3 1,753     | ®8           | 48,477      | 74,40 1              | 27105    | 50594      |
|       | Kerala             |              |               |               |               |             | 2,543        | 52,475      | 1,04,5 1 1   | 4 1 ,998    | m8                   | 11555    | 726 1      |
|       | Ladakh             |              |               |               | NA            |             | NIL          | NIL         | 614          | 30          | 58                   | 615      | 764        |
|       | Lakshadwee         |              |               |               |               |             | 6            | 7           | 33           | 38          | 89                   | 88       | 32         |
|       | Madhya Pradesh D   | 1 ,313       |               | 3,89, 124     | 1 ,84,673     | 1 ,27,44 1  | 6 1 ,265     | 1.65,829    | 9,93,704     | 98,186      | 4,96,092             | To .848  | 260285     |
|       | m=;;]              |              | 80            | 11,55,908     |               | 12,8 1 ,922 | 6,53,677     | 1 ,3 1 ,986 | 36,1 19      | 1.44,985    | 2,0 1 ,676           | 174342   | 133469     |
|       | ManiDur I          |              |               |               | 336           |             |              | 45,321      | _9.4 11      | 30,493      | 9,684                | 72 1 5   | 6515       |
|       | Meghalaya          |              |               |               | b             | 2,568       | 10,525       | 16          |              | 402         | 1 ,612               | 449      | 102        |
|       | Mizoram            | 47           | r5            | 101           | 559           | 107         | 156          | 1 ,443      | 1 ,637       | 3,617       | 4,115                | 2548     | 742        |
|       | Nagaland           | a2           |               |               |               | U7          | 18,552       | U3          |              | 3,428       | 3,177                | 3924     | 1347       |
|       | Odisha             | -r-          |               | 6,50,47 1     |               |             |              |             |              | 64, 122     | 3 1 ,240             | 19420    | 121134     |
| ii    | Puducherry         | 10,629       | 56, 12 1      | 9,886         | 3,290         | 3,533       | 2,093        | 1 ,881      | 1 ,73 1      | 538         | 847                  | 898      | 763        |
| [2l8  | Puniab a           | U3           | [             |               | 69,945        | 34,972      | 94.03 1      | 1 ,79,837   | 3,305        | 1.52.497    | 1 ,23,722            | -;'520   | 2290       |
| 29    | Rajam              |              | 26,32 9       | 13,7 1 ,230   | 73, 1 10      | 8,0 1 6     | 72,276       | 5,80,241    | 1 ,35,283    | 2,65,390    | 26,386               | 103444   | 605826     |
|       |                    |              |               | 11,714        | L 1 , 126     | a3          | 5,622        | 6,98 1      |              | 458         | 0                    | 604      | 2116       |
|       |                    | 96,406       | 1,14, 1 75    | 84,470        | 9,089         |             |              |             |              | 86, 1 50    | 73,875               | R.905    | 33339      |
| 32    | Telangana          | 1 1 ,7 1,354 | 83,04 8       | 5,2 1 ,790    | 41 , 194      | 3,101       | 40,684       | 12, 1 54    |              | 4,988       | 34,064               | 3424     | 140947     |
| 33    | Tripura            | 11,814       | 66,23 6       | 92,728        |               | 18,874      | 552          | 1 ,099      | 1 , 100      | 1 ,254      | 800                  | 467      | 4334       |
| 34    | Uttar Pradesh      | 19,117       | 2,33,8 47     | 25,86,541     | 44,4 1 ,74    | 43,72,49 1  | 41 ,52,27 3  | 8,54,025    | 7, 1 9,2 1 3 | 9,99, 1 00  | 7,00, 1 38           | 841123   | 597012     |
| 35    | Uttarakhand        |              | 1,11,3 67     | 89,984        | 8 3, 18,718   | 1 ,26,268   |              |             | 49,712       | 66,627      | 9,691                | 4.589    | 3014       |
| 36    | West Bengal        | 16,77,3 1 1  | 2 1 ,84, 152  |               |               | 88.593      | 1 ,00, 1 5 1 | 59,666      | 2,93.326     | 6,47,003    | 7,56,860 4 1 ,99,373 | 509952   | 3745 19    |
|       | GrandTotal         | 52,01 ,280   | 50,31, 877    | 8             | 4             | 73,74,651   | 59,90,44 6   | 24,19,45 1  | 29,02,79 4   | 63,80,27 4  |                      | 488525 9 | 41,41,38 5 |

## Annexure