Delhi Govt Raises Ration Card Income Limit to Rs 1.2 Lakh Annually
The new framework mandates income proof and stricter verification, replacing the first-come, first-served model.
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The Delhi government has increased the annual household income limit for ration card eligibility from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.2 lakh.
The revised rules, effective immediately, aim to expand food security coverage and address a significant backlog of pending applications.
The new framework introduces mandatory income certification, stricter verification, and a prioritisation system for applicants, replacing the previous first-come, first-served approach.
Households with certain assets or government employment remain ineligible under the updated criteria.
According to Hindustan Times, the decision was made at a recent cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The new rules require applicants to submit an income certificate issued by the revenue department, ending the previous system of self-certification. The government has also introduced district-level committees to examine and prioritise applications, with a 20 percent waiting list to fill vacancies as they arise.
As reported by The Indian Express, the updated eligibility criteria exclude households that own property in A to E category colonies, pay income tax, own a four-wheeler (except a single commercial vehicle for livelihood), have a family member in government service, or possess an electricity connection exceeding 2 kilowatts.
The government’s review of beneficiary data identified over 646,000 cases with income discrepancies, more than 95,000 inactive beneficiaries, 23,000 duplicate entries, and over 6,000 deceased individuals still listed.
As highlighted by The Hindu, the district-level committees, chaired by the District Magistrate or Additional District Magistrate and including the local MLA and relevant officials, will scrutinise and prioritise applications to ensure the most deserving families receive benefits first.
The policy aims to make Delhi’s food security system more equitable and focused, with over 389,000 applications pending and more than 1,165,000 individuals awaiting food security benefits.
"The committee will scrutinise applications and arrange them in order of priority so that the most deserving families receive benefits first. Additionally, a waiting list of 20 percent of applicants will also be prepared to ensure that vacancies are filled in a timely manner," Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated.
Coverage revealed that the reforms are intended to make the public distribution system more transparent and accessible. The government’s data verification process found that around 56,000 individuals had voluntarily opted out, resulting in over 827,000 vacancies.
These slots will now be filled using the revised prioritisation process, targeting those who have been waiting for years for ration cards or food security coverage.
District-level committees will now play a central role in reviewing applications and ensuring that the most vulnerable families are prioritised. The government has emphasised that the new system is aligned with the National Food Security Act, 2013, and is designed to be technology-driven and transparent.
The discontinuation of the first-come, first-served model was implemented to address irregularities and ensure that benefits reach those most in need. The new rules are expected to resolve the backlog and improve the efficiency of the food security system in Delhi.
"Food security is a right of the poor. The government's resolve is that no needy person should go hungry merely because of shortcomings in the system," Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.