New Delhi: In a major reform of the public distribution system, the Delhi government is planning to issue ration cards based on district-wise population quotas, under the proposed Delhi Food Security Rules, 2025, a senior government official said on Thursday.
Under the new framework, each district will be allocated a fixed number of ration cards determined by its population. Until updated data is available, the government will rely on the existing census figures to calculate these quotas.
Currently, ration distribution in the national capital is carried out through electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) machines, with beneficiaries required to authenticate their identity using Aadhaar-based biometric verification.
“Under the new rules, ration card quotas will be allocated according to the population of each district. For now, the existing census will guide this process,” the official said.
Verification Drive To Weed Out Ineligible Beneficiaries
As part of the reforms, the Delhi government will conduct a comprehensive verification of ration card holders to eliminate ineligible beneficiaries and ensure that benefits reach households genuinely in need.
According to government documents, authorities have already identified:
- 23,394 duplicate food security beneficiaries
- 95,682 ‘silent beneficiaries’ — individuals listed in the system for years without availing any ration benefits
The verification process is expected to free up resources and allow deserving families currently excluded from the system to gain access.
Family Income Certificate To Determine Eligibility
The new policy was approved during a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, where officials finalised key provisions of the Delhi Food Security Rules, 2025.
One of the major changes includes the introduction of a ‘family income certificate’, which will serve as a formal document to establish eligibility for ration cards.
Earlier, the chief minister had announced that the annual household income limit for ration card eligibility would be raised from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.2 lakh, expanding coverage for low-income families.
Multi-Level Grievance Redressal System Proposed
To improve accountability and address complaints effectively, the government has proposed a multi-layered grievance redressal mechanism, operating at:
- Circle level
- District level
- State level
This system aims to ensure quicker resolution of complaints related to ration distribution, eligibility disputes and exclusion errors.
District Committees To Prioritise ‘Poorest Of The Poor’
Another key feature of the policy is the creation of district-level committees to identify and prioritise the “poorest of the poor.”
These committees will:
- Be led by the District Magistrate (DM) or Additional District Magistrate (ADM)
- Include MLAs, SDMs and the Assistant Commissioner
- Maintain a 20 per cent waiting list to accommodate urgent and deserving cases
Officials said these measures would make the ration system more inclusive and need-based.
“The proposed Delhi Food Security Rules, 2025, will create a framework focused on fair identification, prioritising need and ensuring accountability, ultimately strengthening food security for economically weaker sections,” officials said.