Delhi families with an annual household income of up to Rs 1.20 lakh are now eligible for a ration card, as announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The decision aims to enhance the fairness of Delhi’s food security system, focusing on assisting the underprivileged. Families will be disqualified if they own property in specified categories, pay income tax, own more than one vehicle (except for a single commercial vehicle for livelihood), have a family member in government service, or possess an electricity connection exceeding 2 kilowatts, according to an official statement.
The Chief Minister emphasized that food security is a right, not a charity, for the poor. The government’s commitment is to ensure that no deserving individual goes hungry due to system inadequacies. The new rules aim to address the backlog of over 3,89,883 pending applications and provide food security benefits to more than 11,65,965 people through a transparent, needs-based approach.
Under the revised guidelines, the income threshold for identifying priority households has been realistically increased. Families with an annual household income of up to Rs 1.20 lakh will now be covered under food security, compared to the previous limit of Rs 1 lakh. An income certificate from the Revenue Department is now mandatory, replacing the self-certification process. The ‘first-come, first-served’ system will be replaced by a process where applications will be reviewed, approved, and prioritized by district-level committees, ensuring that those in greatest need receive the subsidy first.
The district-level committee, chaired by the District Magistrate (DM) or Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and including the local MLA and officials, will determine priority households. This committee will assess applications and prioritize them to ensure that the most deserving families receive benefits promptly. Additionally, a 20% waiting list will be maintained to fill vacancies promptly. The government’s review of the food security system data identified irregularities, leading to the removal of ineligible beneficiaries and the creation of over 8,27,756 vacancies.
