Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra has announced that 15 lakh new ration cards will be distributed across Odisha starting in 2026. This follows the state government’s approval of 15.33 lakh fresh applications.
The move comes after a rigorous e-KYC verification process aimed at weeding out ghost beneficiaries. So far, 8.16 lakh ineligible persons, including government employees and taxpayers, have been excluded from the database, while 6.39 lakh eligible citizens have already received their cards.
Minister Patra assured that there is no shortage of cards and every genuine beneficiary will be covered. The government has extended the e-KYC deadline to December 31 to accommodate those yet to complete the process.
This overhaul is part of the BJP government's commitment to ensuring transparency and ensuring that food security benefits reach the state's most vulnerable populations.