Over 15 Lakh Ration Card Holders in Odisha Yet to Complete e-KYC; Rice Distribution May Stop from November

Deadline Nears for e-KYC Completion

As October draws to a close, the deadline for e-KYC verification of ration cardholders in Odisha is about to expire. The state’s Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushnachandra Jena had earlier warned that beneficiaries who fail to complete their e-KYC will not receive their entitled rice from November onwards.

Over 15 Lakh Still Unverified

Despite repeated appeals, more than 15.57 lakh beneficiaries across Odisha have not yet completed their e-KYC process as of October 29. This raises serious concern as distribution of subsidised rice will soon be restricted only to verified cardholders.

Just two weeks earlier, around 16.3 lakh people were yet to update their details. The government had directed all District Collectors to speed up the verification drive. However, in 15 days, only about 73,000 e-KYC updates have been completed — a slow pace that could affect food distribution to thousands of families.

Government Firm on Enforcement

The state government clarified that there will be no further extension of the e-KYC deadline. The Central Government has also discontinued the grace period for the process. From November 1, those who fail to update their information will be considered ineligible and will not receive ration supplies under the public distribution system (PDS).

Reasons Behind Delay

Officials have identified several causes behind the sluggish progress. Many ineligible beneficiaries are reportedly avoiding the e-KYC process for fear of being detected and removed from the beneficiary list. In contrast, in remote and tribal regions, poor network connectivity has prevented thousands from completing online verification on time.

Aim: Removing Ineligible Beneficiaries

The e-KYC initiative was launched to weed out ineligible ration cardholders and ensure that food subsidies reach only genuine beneficiaries. The process involves linking ration cards with Aadhaar and updating biometric information.

Looking Ahead

With the final day of October marking the end of the verification window, the next few days will determine whether Odisha’s Food Supplies Department sticks to its stance or offers temporary relief. For now, the message is clear — no e-KYC, no ration from November.