Indian States Speed Up e‑KYC and Smart Ration Card Issuance

Tamil Nadu's Cooperation Department has directed all district collectors to accelerate e‑KYC verification for Priority Household and Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration‑card beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. The state is organising special enrollment camps to overcome biometric challenges, aiming to meet the Union government's June 2026 deadline and avoid potential disruption of central food‑grain subsidies.

In Telangana, the Civil Supplies Department is preparing to distribute new ATM‑size smart ration cards to over 3.4 million beneficiaries. The cards, bearing the state logo, the chief minister’s and civil supplies minister’s photos, and a QR code, will be issued in the name of the female head of each family and will contain beneficiary details and the food‑security card number.

Both states are pushing forward with digital verification and smart‑card technology to improve the accuracy of food‑grain distribution under the NFSA.