New Delhi, July 23, the Central Government has amended the Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2015 to set up strict verification and eligibility principles under the food subsidy system. The Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Amendment Order, 2025 was issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and take effect immediately after publication in the Official Gazette

Key Amendments 

The updated guidelines under Clause 3 of the TPDS Order highlight regular reviews of eligible households. According to the new provisions:

• e-KYC Every Five Years: State governments are now required to conduct a compulsory e-KYC process every five years to ensure that the list of eligible beneficiaries remains current.
• Age Criteria for Separate Ration Cards: No member shall be permitted to hold a distinct ration card until they reach the age of 18 years. This ensures that minors do not misuse the system.
• Aadhar for Children below Five Years: An important change has been introduced concerning Aadhar linkage. Children below five years will now have their Aadhar numbers captured, and the mandatory e-KYC procedure will be carried out once they turn five.

Temporary Disabling of Inactive and Duplicate Cards

To curb misuse and mitigate leakages, states will now need to temporarily disable ration cards of beneficiaries who have not availed their entitlements for the last six months. These cases must undergo field-level authentication and e-KYC within three months to verify continued eligibility.

Further, any ration card identified as duplicate, whether within the same state or across states, will also be temporarily disabled. Affected beneficiaries will have three months to provide the correct documentation and complete the necessary e-KYC to and maintain access to their entitlements.

Transparent Allotment and Waiting List System

In a substantial step toward transparency, the amendment introduces a First-In First-Out (FIFO) system for issuing new ration cards. States will now publish a real-time waiting list on their official portals, allowing applicants to track their application status online.

However, in special cases, vulnerable and needy sections may be prioritised out of the FIFO system, but only with documented justification.

These amendments are part of the Centre’s broader determination to secure the public distribution system and ensure food security schemes under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) reach only eligible beneficiaries. These amendments will strengthen the public distribution system and ensure food security schemes under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) reach only eligible beneficiaries. With over 80 crore people depending on the PDS, the new rules are expected to help plug gaps through digital checks and field-level scrutiny and modernize service delivery.