WAJAHAT SHABIR
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has added 2,25,360 beneficiaries to ration cards across the Union Territory since January 1, 2026, while 56,664 beneficiaries have been deleted during the same period, according to district-wise data placed before the Legislative Assembly.
The figures are part of an annexure submitted by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in response to a question on the issuance and verification of ration cards.
In the Jammu Division, the department added 1,36,939 beneficiaries, including 1,261 under AAY, 90,770 under PHH and 44,908 under NPHH. A total of 34,950 beneficiaries were deleted, comprising 8,611 AAY, 11,632 PHH and 14,707 NPHH.
District-wise, Jammu saw 6 AAY, 3,075 PHH and 13,029 NPHH beneficiaries added, while 1,835 AAY and 2,947 PHH beneficiaries were deleted.
In Samba, 390 NPHH beneficiaries were added, while 705 AAY and 8,559 PHH beneficiaries were deleted. Kathua added 196 AAY, 4,537 PHH and 3,830 NPHH beneficiaries, with 930 AAY beneficiaries deleted. Udhampur added 11,570 PHH and 7,824 NPHH beneficiaries, while 4,273 AAY beneficiaries were deleted.
Reasi recorded the addition of 250 AAY, 16,036 PHH and 5,224 NPHH beneficiaries, with 66 AAY beneficiaries deleted. Doda added 74 AAY and 11,893 PHH beneficiaries, while 4,174 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Ramban recorded 181 AAY, 12,464 PHH and 528 NPHH additions, with no deletions shown in the annexure. Kishtwar added 7,369 PHH beneficiaries, while 556 AAY and 10,426 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Rajouri added 238 AAY, 8,933 PHH and 8,568 NPHH beneficiaries, with 137 AAY beneficiaries deleted. Poonch added 316 AAY, 14,893 PHH and 5,515 NPHH beneficiaries, while 109 AAY, 126 PHH and 107 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
In the Kashmir Division, 88,421 beneficiaries were added, including 8,628 AAY, 59,441 PHH and 20,352 NPHH. The division recorded 21,714 deletions, comprising 2,873 AAY, 8,893 PHH and 9,948 NPHH. Anantnag recorded the addition of 1,089 AAY, 13,111 PHH and 3,247 NPHH beneficiaries, while 403 AAY, 4,895 PHH and 1,961 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Budgam added 534 AAY, 7,239 PHH and 1,965 NPHH beneficiaries, with 127 AAY, 360 PHH and 29 NPHH deletions. Bandipora added 457 AAY, 2,444 PHH and 473 NPHH beneficiaries, while 88 AAY, 315 PHH and 209 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Baramulla added 1,052 AAY, 10,412 PHH and 1,065 NPHH beneficiaries. The district recorded deletion of 1,583 AAY, 595 PHH and 2,389 NPHH beneficiaries. Ganderbal added 471 AAY, 2,616 PHH and 156 NPHH beneficiaries, while 48 AAY, 73 PHH and 23 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Kulgam recorded 1,397 AAY, 10,896 PHH and 2,908 NPHH additions, while 87 AAY, 56 PHH and 4,616 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Kupwara added 2,245 AAY, 6,078 PHH and 1,902 NPHH beneficiaries, with 19 AAY, 16 PHH and 23 NPHH deletions. Pulwama added 757 AAY, 3,372 PHH and 185 NPHH beneficiaries, while 24 AAY, 85 PHH and 70 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Shopian recorded 356 AAY, 1,464 PHH and 594 NPHH additions, with 77 AAY, 295 PHH and 410 NPHH beneficiaries deleted. In Srinagar North, 158 AAY, 885 PHH and 3,982 NPHH beneficiaries were added, while 252 AAY, 1,681 PHH and 218 NPHH beneficiaries were deleted.
Srinagar South added 112 AAY, 924 PHH and 3,875 NPHH beneficiaries, while 165 AAY and 522 PHH beneficiaries were deleted.
The department said it has achieved 100 per cent Aadhaar seeding of ration cards. It said verification is followed by necessary corrections at the beneficiary level, while the category or status of ration cards is modified according to the prescribed procedure.
It also clarified that ration cards identified as “Silent Ration Cards” during verification are not deleted outright. Such cards are kept under suspension for the prescribed period, and entitlement can be restored after the beneficiary or family approaches the department and the case is examined on merits.
The department further said it does not ordinarily cancel an entire ration card merely because an individual member is found ineligible. Instead, necessary corrections are made at the beneficiary level and the category or status of the ration card is modified as per the prescribed procedure.
On issuance of fresh ration cards, the department said beneficiaries are identified according to the criteria under the NFSA Rules, 2021, notified through S.O. 389 dated November 16, 2021. It added that the number of beneficiaries under ration-card targets is determined and assigned by the Government of India, based on data obtained from the 2011 Census.
The department said fresh ration cards under relevant categories would be issued whenever revised targets are communicated by the Government of India to accommodate newly identified families.
