A verification drive into Delhi's ration card system has thrown up startling gaps - from cards issued in the names of the dead to beneficiaries earning well above eligibility limits, with over two lakh ration cards flagged as irregular, BJP MLA Harish Khurana said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Khurana said the scrutiny of ration cards issued between 2015 and 2024 has exposed how subsidised food meant for the poor was being extended to ineligible households, while many genuine beneficiaries were left waiting.
"People know how ration cards were issued over the last ten years," Khurana said, dismissing Opposition criticism. "When verification finally began, the reality came out."
Numbers That Raise Questions
Official data cited by the BJP MLA shows that 9.22 lakh applications for ration cards were submitted in Delhi between 2014 and 2024. Most of these were cleared without proper checks.
The BJP-led government has now held a detailed review, triggering a citywide verification exercise.
What Verification Found
The review flagged 2.02 lakh ration cards impacting more than 7 lakh beneficiaries.
The irregularities identified included:
6,038 cards issued in the names of deceased persons
16,000 duplicate cards
Over 1.44 lakh cards were found to be linked to individuals earning more than Rs 6 lakh a year, even though ration benefits are meant for economically weaker sections
"If high-income earners are drawing subsidised ration, it is the poorest who lose out," Khurana said.
Land, Cars, GST Numbers on Ration Rolls
The verification also found:
1.59 lakh card holders own sizeable plots of land
77,000 beneficiaries own cars or other vehicles
2,700 ration cards were issued to GST holders with turnovers exceeding Rs 25 lakh
'16,064 duplicate cards were linked to beneficiaries in other states
Show-cause notices were sent to 2.76 lakh beneficiaries, mostly through SMS. Only 227 have responded so far, Khurana said.
"People with land, cars and company directorships were shown as 'poor'. That is what the data reveals," he added.
'No Cards Cancelled, No Shops Shut'
Rejecting claims that ration supply was being disrupted, Khurana said no ration card has been cancelled and no Fair Price Shop has been shut down during the verification exercise.
"All Food Supply Offices are fully functional. Every beneficiary is being given time to establish eligibility," he said, adding that the exercise is being conducted under the National Food Security Act through district-level committees headed by District Magistrates.
So far, 76,000 beneficiaries have been verified, while 4.76 lakh ration cards have been re-issued after checks, he said.
White Paper Demand, Fresh Questions
The BJP MLA said he would write to the Chief Minister seeking a White Paper on ration card distribution over the last ten years, arguing that transparency was essential.
He also raised questions over whether foreign nationals, including Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, were issued ration cards during the previous AAP government's tenure.
"This verification drive is about restoring the rights of the poor," Khurana said. "Those opposing it should explain what they are afraid of," he added.
