The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday approved Rs 179.42 crore to give a fillip to the ration delivery system under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The funding aims at enhancing the operations across the supply chain — from procurement to delivery and interstate coordination in order to improve the efficiency of the Food and Civil Supplies Department.
According to the government, as part of the NFSA, eligible beneficiaries are being identified and issued ration cards. To date, over 3.16 crore household ration cards and 40.73 lakh have been distributed, covering more than 1.29 crore people under the Antyodaya scheme. The ongoing identification campaign aims at ensuring that no eligible individual is left out, a statement said.
For the 2025–26 fiscal, funding has been allocated with a 50-50 contribution from both the central and state governments. The aim is to make the Public Distribution System (PDS) more transparent, efficient, and inclusive, ensuring timely delivery of quality food items to beneficiaries.
The scope of this scheme includes inter-state transportation, storage, loading and unloading, and distribution of ration to fair price shops. The allocated funds would be utilised to strengthen the food storage infrastructure and supply chain, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted distribution of food at every level, the statement said.
The implementation of this initiative will be closely monitored by the Commissioner of the Food and Civil Supplies Department to ensure transparency and effective delivery to genuine beneficiaries. The government has issued strict directives to prevent duplication of past financial approvals and to allocate funds based on quarterly needs.
To curb fraud and ensure authenticity in ration distribution, the government has introduced e-KYC and Aadhaar-based verification systems. Ration cardholders now have the convenience of completing e-KYC at any fair price shop across the country. The use of e-POS (electronic Point of Sale) machines are being used to ensure transparency in the distribution process. These devices ensure that food grains are delivered directly to the rightful beneficiaries, making the system more efficient and reliable. This digital transformation is enabling timely distribution of ration, the statement said.
Under the scheme, eligible household cardholders are provided with 5 kg of food grains per unit—comprising 2 kg of wheat and 3 kg of rice—free of cost. Antyodaya card holders receive 14 kg of wheat and 21 kg of rice, totaling 35 kg, in one go.
The Food and Civil Supplies Department claims that at present, nearly 15 crore people are being benefited through the scheme across Uttar Pradesh. With over 1.29 crore Antyodaya cardholders, the government is targeting the state’s poorest families.
