Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, May 15: In a major cleanup of the Public Distribution System (PDS), approximately 18,000 ration cards have been deactivated across the state, according to the Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. The bulk of these cards were cancelled after six consecutive months of non-use, while a smaller number were voluntarily surrendered by cardholders.

Officials confirmed that the total number of active ration cards has dropped to 2,64,623 in 2025, down from 2,83,334 in the previous year. The move has led to a proportional decrease in the number of beneficiaries relying on subsidized food grains under the PDS.

The cancellations were primarily driven by the rule that mandates deactivation of cards that are unused for six straight months at fair price shops. Following this adjustment, the current breakdown of PDS beneficiaries includes approximately 1.14 lakh under the Priority Household (PHH) category, 10,000 under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), and around 1.39 lakh classified under the Above Poverty Line (APL) category.

While the central government continues to fund the distribution for AAY and PHH cardholders, the state bears the cost of supplying subsidized rations to those in the APL bracket.

Between October 2024 and March 2025, the state received nearly 1,200 metric tonnes of rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for PDS operations. The monthly supply figures included 380 metric tonnes in October, 365 in November, 370 in December, 370 in January, 377 in February, and 344 in March.

Officials stated that the streamlining of the PDS roster aims to ensure that resources are better allocated to active and eligible households in need of support.