Kochi, 18 September (H.S.):More than six lakh ration cards in Kerala could be cancelled or suspended after the Centre directed states to act against families that have not collected their ration entitlement for six consecutive months.

The measure could affect over 16 lakh beneficiaries when the Centre’s Smart PDS programme, designed to modernise the public distribution system through technology, is introduced in the state next month. Kerala signed an agreement with the Centre for the project in 2024.

Under Smart PDS, the state’s distribution network will be linked to a centralised server, enabling monitoring at the grassroots. The software can identify people listed on multiple ration cards in different states.

In the first phase, scrutiny will focus on priority households holding yellow and pink cards. Official data show that 44,279 priority families have not purchased ration supplies during the past six months. They include 5,370 Antyodaya Anna Yojana yellow cards covering 6,401 beneficiaries and 38,909 priority household pink cards covering 60,300 people.

Another 5,62,494 inactive cards belong to non-priority categories. These comprise 4,33,811 white cards, 1,19,166 blue cards and 9,517 brown institutional cards.

The Centre intensified surveillance following reports that unclaimed foodgrain was being diverted to the black market through collusion among officials and wholesalers. During the previous Onam season, Food and Civil Supplies Vigilance officials seized 75,000 kg of ration rice in raids in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. Around 6,000 kg of rice and wheat was recently recovered from a house at Parassala.

Intelligence agencies have identified an interstate racket allegedly transporting free ration rice from Tamil Nadu into Kerala. The grain is reportedly stored in secret warehouses, polished, repacked in branded sacks and sold in the open market for Rs 48 to Rs 56 per kg.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman