Delhi Raises Ration Card Income Limit to Rs 1.20 Lakh for More Families
Delhi government raises ration card income limit to Rs 1.20 lakh to expand food security benefits.
The Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has raised the annual income limit for eligibility to government ration cards from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.20 lakh, a move aimed at expanding food security for low-income families in the national capital. The decision was taken at a recent cabinet meeting chaired by CM Gupta, who emphasized that access to food is “not a favor, but a right of the poor.”
Under the new rules, applicants must provide an income certificate issued by the Revenue Department, eliminating self-certification to ensure transparency. Families who own property in A to E category colonies, pay income tax, own a four-wheeler, have a government employee in the household, or possess electricity connections above 2 kW will not be eligible for the scheme.
The government has also overhauled the allocation system, replacing the previous ‘first come, first served’ method with district-level committees chaired by District Magistrates or Additional District Magistrates. Local MLAs and officials will assist in scrutinizing and prioritizing applications so that the most needy households are served first.
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A thorough data review revealed significant discrepancies in the existing system. Officials identified over 646,123 beneficiaries whose income exceeded the previous limits, 23,394 duplicate entries, 6,185 cases registered under deceased individuals, and 56,372 voluntary removals, resulting in more than 827,756 vacancies. These openings will now be offered to waiting applicants who have long been denied benefits.
Currently, over 389,883 applications are pending, and more than 1.16 million people are waiting for food security benefits. The reform aims to fill these gaps effectively, ensuring that assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries while preventing misuse of the system.
The Revenue Department stated that the initiative aligns with the National Food Security Act, 2013, and aims to create a technology-based, equitable, and transparent public distribution system. CM Gupta highlighted that the new system will ensure timely access to benefits for deserving families and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies in Delhi’s food security framework.
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