3.45 crore Aadhaar cards linked in the past few months; at least another 50 lakh cards yet to be done

Below poverty line and above poverty line families will not get their monthly ration under the public distribution system from April 1, if they fail to link Aadhaar number with the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

The Centre has set June 30 as deadline for linking Aadhaar with ration cards to avail themselves of food items at subsidised prices.

So far, 3.45 crore Aadhaar cards have been linked to the department in the past few months. At least another 50 lakh cards are yet to be linked.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader told presspersons on Monday that ration cards that have not been linked with Aadhaar would be considered bogus. However, the department would supply ration in March to families who have not shared their Aadhaar with the department, he said.

Following instructions from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the department has decided to supply one litre kerosene per month to all BPL families even if they have LPG gas connections. However, only families residing in rural areas are eligible to obtain this at a cost of ₹25.

The department has stopped supply of kerosene to families having LPG connections since the Centre does not reimburse the subsidy amount. Mr. Khader said families not having LPG gas connections continued to get three litres of kerosene per month. In the recent past, a large number of legislators and Congress workers submitted petitions to the Chief Minister stating that families having LPG connections too should be given kerosene since there was delay in supply of LPG cylinders by private companies.