Delhi food supplies minister reviews pendency of issuing new ration cards

Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Wednesday reviewed the pendency of applications for new ration cards and addition of beneficiaries in existing ration cards in the national capital, according to a statement by the government.

During a meeting with the commissioner (F&S) and senior officials of the food and civil supplies department, Hussain said identification of eligible households was being processed and new ration cards would be issued on a first in, first out basis.

The minister also reviewed the distribution of free ration items under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) beneficiaries and the progress of distribution of food grains to non-PDS beneficiaries, who do not hold any ration card in Delhi, the statement said.

Hussain said directions have been issued to ensure that no public distribution system (PDS) beneficiary is deprived of ration items due to biometric failures, especially since ration shops in Delhi have implemented the electronic point of sale (PoS) system.

He added that existing ration card holders, who were unable to authenticate their biometric details to receive their monthly quota of free ration items in Delhi, could now nominate any other person to collect it on their behalf.