Maharashtra Ration Card Crackdown: Ineligible Cardholders to Lose Benefits; New Cards for Low-Income Families

The Government of Maharashtra has launched an investigation to identify and cancel ineligible ration cards under the new Government Resolution (GR). According to this initiative, all ineligible ration cards in the state will be identified and cancelled. Instructions have also been issued to issue new ration cards as per fresh demand.

Since the available quota for ration cards is full, it is not possible to issue new cards to eligible beneficiaries unless ineligible cards are removed. Therefore, the process of eliminating ineligible ration cards will be implemented on priority in Maharashtra, enabling new beneficiaries to receive their ration cards.

Instructions have been issued from time to time to all field offices to identify and cancel ineligible ration cards, as per directives from the Central Government. Currently, a statewide search operation will be conducted from April 1 to May 31 every year to verify all types of ration cards—Antyodaya, Priority Family Beneficiary (Orange), and White cardholders.

Phase 1: Data Collection

Information will initially be collected from existing ration card holders.

Application forms will be filled out online.

Along with the application, ration card holders must submit proof of residence, such as LPG connection receipts, bank passbooks, electricity bills, telephone/mobile bills, driving licenses, office/other ID cards, voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, etc.

The proof of residence submitted should not be older than one year.

After filling the application form and attaching the required documents, it should be submitted to the local ration shopkeeper.

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Phase 2: Verification

The application and supporting documents will be verified.

If there are discrepancies or missing documents, applicants will be asked to resubmit them.

Ration card holders will be given 15 days to comply.

If documents are not submitted within the given timeframe, the ration card will be cancelled.

Phase 3: Final Issuance

A single ration card will be issued per family with proper scrutiny.

Foreign nationals will not be issued ration cards.

Cards will be issued based on the income level of the applicant.

Duplicate, non-existent, or deceased individuals will be removed from the system.