As of April 2025, important modifications are being brought into India’s ration card system with a view to increasing transparency and accessibility and enhancing the distribution mechanism of food subsidies under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Compulsory e-KYC and Linking of Aadhaar
The central government has made it mandatory for all ration card holders to undergo an electronic Know Your Customer, or e-KYC, linking their Aadhaar numbers. This had an original deadline of March 31, 2025. Once that date passes, the failure to do so will mean suspension of food grain subsidies under the PDS. This is however contentious as some states have laid down a different deadline for completion of this process. Some newspapers have also reported that some beneficiaries had completed the e-KYC process much after the end of the preference date.
Beneficiaries can do the e-KYC online through the PDS website of their state, entering their ration card number and Aadhaar number, and verifying their mobile number through a one-time password (OTP). Another option is to carry the required documents for biometric verification to local ration card offices or Common Service Centres (CSCs). The beneficiaries also have the option to undertake this process from home in the case of the biometric device being taken to their house by the concerned official. Users would be charged for this option.
Initiatives by State
Telangana: New ration cards started being issued by the government of Telangana from January 26, 2025. Beneficiary identification was made through field-level verification done between January 16 and January 20, followed by data entry on January 21. Meanwhile, the eligibility of the migrant families in Hyderabad was also established for ration cards. Thus, this scheme was simultaneously initiated with the rolling out of welfare schemes like the Indiramma Housing Scheme and financial assistance for farmers and landless laborers.
Andhra Pradesh: Issuance of new ration cards in the state of Andhra Pradesh was started from December 2, 2024. Applications were accepted for new cards and modifications to existing ones until December 28, 2024, with distribution planned for Sankranthi. The criteria for eligibility were set as a monthly income of less than Rs.10,000 in rural areas and less than Rs.12,000 in urban areas.
Karnataka: There was a pause on applications for new ration cards but application acceptance is scheduled from March 29 to June 30, 2025, from 10 am to 5 pm.
One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)
The ONORC continues to enable about 80 crore beneficiaries across the country to draw their food allotments from anywhere in India. This is particularly useful for migrant laborers, thus ensuring food security irrespective of their location.
How to Apply/Update Ration Cards
Citizens can apply for new ration cards or change existing ration cards through the Online Ration Card Management System (ERCMS) as it is an online portal intended for such applications, status tracking, and ration card modifications.
To obtain accurate and updated information, individuals are advised to visit their respective state’s official PDS websites or contact local ration cards.
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