Odisha Cancels 34,939 Ineligible Ration Cards in Two Years

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has cancelled 34,939 ineligible ration cards over the past two years, affecting 1,25,963 family members, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra informed the State Assembly on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question from senior Congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the minister said the government has also removed 7,75,064 deceased persons from the ration card database during the same period to ensure accuracy of records.

Providing details of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Patra said the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) category currently includes 12,38,321 families comprising 34,35,642 members. Meanwhile, the Priority Household (PHH) category covers 85,59,251 families with 2,88,54,050 members.

Overall, the state has 1,00,96,299 ration card beneficiary families, covering a total of 3,28,52,433 members, he added.

The minister also informed the Assembly that in Koraput district, 1,426 ineligible ration card holders have had their cards cancelled, affecting 4,953 family members.

Patra emphasised that the ongoing verification drive aims to ensure that ration benefits reach only eligible households, while eliminating duplication and maintaining the integrity of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the state.