 Muskan Thakur
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 12: Jammu and Kashmir deleted 49,810 ineligible ration cards over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, while the number of people registered as beneficiaries under the Public Distribution System (PDS) increased steadily during the period, reaching 68.50 lakh in 2025, according to data placed before the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. In a written reply to Unstarred Question No. 4082, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said the number of PDS beneficiaries in Jammu and Kashmir stood at 65,91,225 in 2021. The figure increased to 66,47,484 in 2022, 66,53,230 in 2023, 67,47,183 in 2024 and 68,49,967 in 2025.
The data indicates an increase of 2,58,742 beneficiaries in Jammu and Kashmir between 2021 and 2025, reflecting a steady expansion in the number of people registered under the PDS during the period.
At the same time, the Union Territory witnessed the deletion of 49,810 ineligible ration cards over the five years. The year-wise data shows that 33,677 cards were deleted in 2021, followed by 2,927 in 2022, 5,403 in 2023, 4,767 in 2024 and 3,036 in 2025.
The figures were provided in response to a question seeking State/UT-wise details of people registered as PDS beneficiaries during the last five years, as well as details of people removed from or opting out of the system. The government stated that the State-wise numbers of beneficiaries were provided in Annexure-I, while the details of deleted ineligible ration cards were given in Annexure-IV.
The data comes amid continued efforts to clean up beneficiary databases and ensure that subsidised foodgrains under the PDS reach eligible households. The figures, however, specifically relate to deleted ineligible ration cards and do not indicate that all such deletions represented a reduction in the number of eligible beneficiaries.
The Lok Sabha reply also provided State/UT-wise data on PDS beneficiaries for each of the five years from 2021 to 2025, covering Jammu and Kashmir along with other States and Union Territories. |
