The Delhi government has announced a significant increase in the income eligibility criteria for ration cards, raising the limit from ₹1.2 lakh per annum to ₹2.5 lakh per annum for fresh applications. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta made this announcement during a press conference on Thursday, stating that the hike decision will be approved in the next cabinet meeting. The proposed increase to ₹2.5 lakh, if approved, could significantly expand the reach of subsidised food support across the capital, bringing a larger number of low and middle-income families under the public distribution system (PDS). As per The Earth News, the Chief Minister explained that the hike is aimed at benefiting the maximum number of needy people.
The government has cancelled more than 7.72 lakh ration cards as part of a comprehensive audit and verification process. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the government had cancelled around 772,000 'invalid' ration cards and invited fresh online applications. The cancellation was conducted after an intensive audit revealed multiple issues with existing cards, with the verification exercise aimed at improving transparency and ensuring that food subsidies reach genuinely eligible households. In Delhi, no ration cards were issued in the last 13 years, highlighting the extensive nature of the reform initiative.
The intensive audit revealed several categories of ineligible beneficiaries, with 144,000 beneficiaries not fulfilling the income criterion, 35,800 who did not receive ration, 29,580 who died, and 23,394 ration cards found to be duplicates. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta detailed these findings during her press conference, explaining that after an intensive audit, the government removed 1.44 lakh beneficiaries not fulfilling the income criterion, nearly 35,800 beneficiaries who had stopped collecting rations, and 29,580 deceased individuals. These findings were part of the comprehensive review that led to the massive card cancellation exercise.
The process of issuing new ration cards has resumed through Delhi's e-District portal, with authorities accepting both new ration card applications and requests to add family members. Government officials stated that since the portal reopened last week, the Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs has received 487 fresh applications. Application volumes are gradually increasing as officials continue document verification under revised norms. To assist applicants facing difficulties during registration, the department has activated a helpline number, 1967. The government has additionally started returning long-pending and incomplete applications to users' e-District accounts for correction and resubmission.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta explained that the hike is aimed at benefiting the maximum number of needy people, as reported by The Earth News. The government has also invited fresh online applications for new ration cards, indicating a complete overhaul of the ration card distribution system. In Delhi, no ration cards were issued in the last 13 years, highlighting the extensive nature of the reform initiative. The Delhi government has notified the Delhi Food Security Rules, 2026, revising the annual income criterion to ₹1.2 lakh from ₹1 lakh. Eligibility rules have been tightened under the new framework, with individuals living in A-E category colonies, government employees, income-tax payers, owners of four-wheelers, and households with electricity connections exceeding 2 KW remaining ineligible for ration cards.
