41 lakh bogus ration cards removed in 2025

The government on Tuesday informed Parliament that 41.41 lakh ineligible or fake ration cards were deleted across the country in 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to improve transparency in the Public Distribution System (PDS).

According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Food Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, the highest number of deletions was recorded in Haryana at 13.43 lakh. This was followed by Rajasthan with 6.05 lakh, Uttar Pradesh with 5.97 lakh, West Bengal with 3.74 lakh, and Madhya Pradesh with 2.60 lakh.

The minister stated that the large-scale removal of ineligible beneficiaries has been made possible due to the increasing use of technology in the PDS, enabling states and Union Territories to better identify and eliminate duplicate or fraudulent ration cards. The move is aimed at ensuring that subsidies and foodgrains reach only genuine beneficiaries.

The data also shows a consistent trend in the deletion of fake ration cards over recent years. In 2024, around 48.85 lakh such cards were removed, while in 2023 the figure stood at 41.99 lakh. As part of reforms, the government has fully digitised ration card and beneficiary databases across all states and Union Territories. Nearly all fair price shops in the country have been equipped with electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices, streamlining the distribution process.

Further strengthening the system, 99.2 per cent of beneficiaries have been linked with Aadhaar, while 98.75 per cent of foodgrain distribution is now carried out through digital authentication methods such as biometric and iris verification.

The government said digitisation has significantly improved efficiency and transparency in the PDS, helping curb leakages and diversion while ensuring rightful targeting of welfare benefits.