Govt flags 1.17 crore ineligible ration card holders in nationwide crackdown

In an unprecedented move to tighten India’s food security net, the government has identified more than 1.17 crore ration card holders who may have illegally availed free food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The flagged beneficiaries include 94.71 lakh taxpayers, 17.51 lakh four-wheeler owners, and 5.31 lakh company directors, according to data released by the Department of Food and Public Distribution. The findings emerged after cross-verification of ration card details with databases from the Income-Tax Department, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

The government has now directed all states and Union Territories to conduct field verification and delete ineligible names from the system by September 30. “This exercise is critical to ensure resources are directed only towards eligible households,” Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra wrote to state Chief Secretaries, urging them to “cleanse” the database.

As of August 19, India has issued 19.17 crore ration cards covering 76.10 crore beneficiaries. But under NFSA rules, government employees, taxpayers, four-wheeler owners, and households with annual income above ₹1 lakh are barred from availing free food grains.

Officials said the purge will also pave the way for genuine beneficiaries waiting to be included. “Cleansing the database of ineligible beneficiaries will enable any left-out deserving individuals and families to be added, reinforcing equity and integrity in the Public Distribution System,” Chopra added.

The crackdown follows a similar drive that saw 1.34 crore bogus or ineligible ration cards cancelled between 2021 and 2023. The NFSA, in force since 2013, entitles 67% of households — 75% rural and 50% urban—to subsidized food grains, though the NDA government currently provides them free under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.