Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced a proposal to raise the annual income ceiling for ration card eligibility in the national capital from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh. Speaking at a press conference, the chief minister said the move is intended to ensure that more financially vulnerable families can access subsidised food benefits under the public distribution system.
Gupta revealed that the Delhi government had cancelled nearly 7.72 lakh “invalid” ration cards following a detailed verification exercise. She also invited residents to submit fresh applications through the online portal.
“After an intensive audit, the government removed 1.44 lakh beneficiaries not fulfilling the income criterion, 35,800 who did not receive ration, 29,580 who died, while 23,394 ration cards were found to be duplicates,” she said.
Highlighting gaps in the previous system, the chief minister stated that Delhi had not issued any new ration cards over the last 13 years. The proposed revision in the eligibility criteria is expected to widen access for deserving applicants who were previously excluded due to the lower income cap.
The government believes the updated threshold will help extend food security benefits to a larger section of low-income households across the city.
Gupta confirmed that the proposal to increase the income limit will be presented for approval at the next Cabinet meeting.
Once cleared, the revised income criteria could pave the way for thousands of new beneficiaries to apply for ration cards in Delhi.
SOPs For Applying for a Ration Card
Meanwhile, in February, the Delhi government issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the processing of new ration cards, stipulating that applications must be submitted online exclusively by the head of the household, defined under the Delhi Food Security Rules, 2026, notified earlier this month, as the eldest female member of the family.
The SOPs, require applicants to submit Aadhaar cards of all family members, proof of residence in Delhi, a family income certificate issued by the revenue department, and a copy of an electricity bill in the name of any family member or, in the case of rented accommodation, the house owner.
In cases where the eldest female member is below 18 years of age, the eldest male member may act as the head of the household until an adult female member becomes eligible. If the declared female head dies, the eldest female family member above the age of 18 listed on the ration card may apply to be recognised as the new head of the household.