Now Reading: Keralam seeks 3-month deadline extension for ration card e-KYC
-
01
Keralam seeks 3-month deadline extension for ration card e-KYC
The Story in Brief
Keralam Food Minister Anoop Jacob has asked the Centre to extend the three-month deadline for e-KYC activation of ration cards and delay a rule for temporarily cancelling cards unused for six consecutive months. In a letter to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Jacob sought flexibility in implementing a 2025 amendment to the Targeted Public Distribution System Order. He also asked for permission to maintain a first-in, first-out waiting list for eligible families to fill vacancies after card cancellations.
The minister said the first phase will affect 44,279 priority cardholders in Keralam, including 5,370 yellow-card and 38,909 pink-card holders, who had not bought ration supplies in over six months. He noted another 5,62,494 non-priority cardholders were also inactive but continued under state tide-over arrangements. Jacob argued that not collecting rations does not automatically mean ineligibility, and urged the Centre to allow temporary retention of cards under the state's non-priority category until field verification is complete.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The key question is whether the Centre will accommodate Keralam's request. The sheer number of affected cards, over 44,000 priority and 5.62 lakh non-priority, shows how many families are at risk of losing NFSA entitlements. Jacob's letter does not challenge the rule change itself, only its timeline and application. He is asking for more time to distinguish between genuinely ineligible households and those who simply did not buy rations, such as during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Centre's response will determine whether the 2025 amendment is enforced uniformly or with state-level flexibility.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
