States delete 5.97 crore ration cards since 2013 to achieve rightful targeting

States and Union Territories (UTs) have cancelled 5.97 crore ration cards since 2013 to achieve "rightful targeting" of National Food Security Act (NFSA), the government said on Tuesday. In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya said, "The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) governed under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/ Union Territory (UT) Governments." 

The operational responsibilities for allocation of foodgrains within the States/ UTs, identification of eligible beneficiary families, issuance of ration cards to them, distribution of foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries under TPDS, supervision over and monitoring of functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) among others, rest with the concerned State/ UT Governments.

"As an outcome of the use of technology in TPDS operations since 2013, i.E, digitization of ration cards/beneficiary databases, Aadhaar seeding, de-duplication process, identification of duplicates, ineligible records, deaths, permanent migration of beneficiaries, etc, all States/UTs have been able to weed-out approx. 5.87 crore ration cards between 2013 to 2024 (till date) in order to achieve rightful targeting," she said.

The NFSA provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of the rural population and up to 50 per cent of the urban population for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains under the TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the total population.

"Coverage under the Act is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of the society get its benefit. The Act is being successfully implemented in all the States/UTs and free-of-cost foodgrains are being distributed to about 80.67 crore beneficiaries as per their entitlement under the Act," the minister said.

There is no report from any State/UT regarding food insecurity, she added.