BENGALURU: The Karnataka government is considering increasing the annual income limit to avail Priority Household Cards (ration cards) from the existing Rs 1.2 lakh.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, replying on behalf of Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, stated that the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Committee-II, headed by Congress MLA RV Deshpande, has recommended increasing the limit to Rs 3 lakh, and the proposal is currently under discussion.
“The current Rs 1.2 lakh slab was fixed in 2017. There is a need to revise it now in 2026. We will discuss the proposal and fix the annual income limit,” Rao said.
Former Deputy CM and BJP MLA Dr CN Ashwathnarayan said the income limit has remained unchanged for nine years and does not reflect the high cost of living in cities like Bengaluru. “Many urban workers, including taxi drivers, are unable to access ration cards as their income exceeds the current limit,” he said.
BJP MLA and former Food and Civil Supplies Minister Gopalaiah also said thousands of ration cards were cancelled in his constituency.
Rao said that under the National Food Security Act, ration cards should cover 50% of the urban and 75% of the rural population. “As per this, we have to give ration cards to 1.09 crore families. We are giving an additional 15.8 lakh. Many have misused these cards as they can avail other facilities using this card,” the minister informed the House.