CHENNAI: Out of nearly 2.65 lakh new family ration card applications pending with the Tamil Nadu government since July 2023, 1.36 lakh have been rejected. The state civil supplies and consumer protection department attributed the high rejection rate to an influx of applications from families residing in the same household.
Further compounding the strict scrutiny of applications were the challenges consumers faced in deleting names from existing ration cards a prerequisite for applying for new ones (for instance when a person moves out of a household after getting married). Additionally, the requirement of a marriage registration certificate proved to be an impediment to many, further restricting their ability to apply for new ration cards.
TNIE has learnt that these measures may have resulted from the finance department’s decision to limit issuance of new cards due to rising expenditure for Pongal gifts, cash assistance, flood relief and other initiatives which are implemented by considering persons on each ration card as units of the same family. However, officials denied tightening norms, stating the high rejection rate was primarily due to applicants from the same household applying for new cards without a separate LPG connection.
“New ration cards can only be rejected if applicants do not have a kitchen of their own or reside in the same house. Field verification revealed that most applicants live in the same house but in separate rooms. Cards cannot be rejected for any other reason,” Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection D Mohan clarified.
Mohan also dismissed the claims of a higher rejection rate, saying, “A total of 4.26 lakh applications were pending, of these 1.99 lakh have been approved. Out of the approved ones, 1.69 lakh new cards have already been distributed, while the remaining applications are under verification.” When asked whether these rejections were part of measures to reduce the state’s food subsidy and other expenses, Mohan emphasised that applications cannot be rejected without valid reasons, given the public’s growing awareness.
Official sources acknowledged that the number of applications for name deletions and new ration cards has been steadily increasing since the DMK-led government assumed office, driven by anticipation of enrolment in the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT) scheme. In March 2023, the state halted issuing new cards to prevent data mismatch ahead of KMUT scheme launch. According to official data, the state currently has 2.25 crore family ration cards. Since the DMK assumed power, 16.3 lakh new cards have been issued.