Andhra Pradesh Smart Ration Card Initiative: Key Highlights
From August 25 to 31, Andhra Pradesh will roll out a week-long smart ration card distribution program, announced State Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, Nadendla Manohar. Speaking to the media at the Secretariat on Tuesday, the minister revealed that 1,45,97,486 beneficiaries across the state will receive these smart ration cards free of cost.
This initiative, aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency, will be conducted under the supervision of local MLAs at the constituency level, ministers at the district level, and the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister at the state level. Public meetings will be organized to ensure smooth distribution.
Andhra Pradesh Leads in KYC Completion
Minister Nadendla Manohar expressed pride in Andhra Pradesh achieving 96.05% KYC completion for ration cards, securing the top spot nationwide. He clarified that 11,47,132 individuals—those under five years or over 80 years—are exempt from KYC requirements.
Ration Card Updates and Additions
The state processed 16,08,612 applications for ration card modifications and additions, with 15,32,758 applications resolved favorably. Only 4.72% of applications were rejected. As a result, 9,87,644 new beneficiaries were added, bringing the total to 4,29,79,897. Of these, 2,68,23,200 are supported by the central government, and 1,61,56,697 by the state government. The total number of rice cards now stands at 1,45,97,486.
Features of Smart Ration Cards
The new smart ration cards are designed to replace outdated systems with a digitized, secure, and transparent approach, resembling debit or credit cards. Following the vision of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and suggestions from Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, these cards exclude political leaders’ photos, instead featuring the family head’s photo and details of all family members. Integrated with a QR code and linked to a dynamic key register, every transaction is instantly recorded at the central office for accountability.
Ration Distribution Timings
Post-distribution, ration supplies will be available at 26,796 ration shops statewide from the 1st to 15th of each month, operating from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. For senior citizens above 65 and differently-abled pensioners, ration is delivered to their homes from the 26th to 30th of each month, a practice ongoing for the past three months. The minister also assured action to resolve issues in Alluri district through a personal visit.
Success of Deepam-2 Scheme
The Deepam-2 scheme, launched last November during Deepavali, has been a resounding success. In its first phase, 97.59 lakh gas cylinders were distributed free, with ₹764 crore credited as subsidies to beneficiaries’ bank accounts. In the second phase, starting April this year, 93.46 lakh cylinders have been distributed, with ₹747 crore in subsidies transferred. An additional ₹35 crore is held in advance by oil companies. The minister urged remaining beneficiaries to claim their cylinders by month-end.
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