The Delhi government has launched a mandatory electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) verification process for ration card holders, with a deadline of March 31, 2025. The initiative aims to prevent fraud and ensure subsidized food grains reach only legitimate beneficiaries under the Public Distribution System (PDS), continuing India’s broader efforts to digitize benefit distribution that have already saved an estimated $40 billion through fraud prevention.
Under the new system, ration card holders must provide proof of Aadhaar number possession or authenticate their Aadhaar card with their ration cards. The verification process uses biometric-based smart ration cards linked with Aadhaar, which are authenticated at fair price shops equipped with electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) devices. The implementation follows the recent expansion of Aadhaar authentication capabilities across both public and private sectors in India. To facilitate at-home verification, the government has introduced a mobile application called ‘Mera e-KYC’.
According to the Food and Supplies department, approximately 17 lakh ration card holders have already applied for e-KYC verification out of the total 17,41,266 card holders in Delhi. The implementation, which began in July 2024, experienced initial delays when ration shop dealers approached the Delhi High Court regarding separate funds for the verification process.
“Almost all ration card holders in Delhi have biometric-based smart ration cards linked with their Aadhaar. But after 2013, the verification process, which should be done every five years, did not take place. So, through this e-KYC verification process, names of ineligible cardholders will be removed,” explained a Food and Supplies department official.
The department has directed its IT branch to display information about the authentication process on its website and is conducting awareness campaigns through SMS and advertisements across major platforms. According to a departmental order issued on March 8, 2025, failure to complete the verification by the deadline could result in the blocking of Specified Food Articles distribution to non-compliant cardholders.
The verification system is designed to identify and remove various categories of ineligible cardholders, including deceased individuals, those who maintain ration cards solely for residence proof, and individuals who have secured government employment or improved their financial status. The initiative is part of India’s broader push toward digital identity verification, which includes recent measures such as mandatory Aadhaar authentication for GST registration and enhanced security protocols for digital payment systems.
Sources: The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, The Economic Times
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