Akola ration cards go fully digital, paper era ends
Akola district has completed 100 percent digitisation of ration cards, with e-KYC now mandatory for cardholders to keep receiving benefits.
To curb irregularities in ration distribution, the supply department in Akola district has made ration cards fully digital. By the end of August 2026, the district had 4,65,551 registered ration cardholders, of whom 1,38,947 beneficiaries have already been given e-ration cards. Along with new ration cards, old ration cards have also been converted into e-ration cards.
Maharashtra has introduced e-ration cards in place of paper ration cards, and this is being implemented in Akola district as well. The district has completed 100 percent digitisation of ration cards. E-ration cards and the e-KYC process are now being prioritised over physical cards. E-KYC has been made mandatory for all members listed on a ration card.
The administration has warned that if e-KYC is not completed within the stipulated time, ration benefits may be stopped, or the concerned member's name may be removed from the ration card. Action is also underway under "Mission Sudhar" to remove the names of fake and ineligible ration cardholders. Printing of new physical ration cards has been stopped, and digital e-ration cards are now used instead. More than 99 percent of ration cards in the district have been linked to Aadhaar.
Ration cards are mainly of four to five types based on income and set criteria: the yellow ration card, the saffron ration card, the white ration card, the Antyodaya Anna Yojana card, and the priority household ration card. Of these, the yellow ration card is for families living below the poverty line, that is, families with very low annual income.
The festivals of Ganpati and Navratri are now only a few days away, and cheaper grain is given from ration shops on such occasions. Ration cardholders also get the benefit of the Anandacha Shidha Yojana, launched by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. For this, it is essential that the ration card is active. Many citizens do not know whether their ration card is active or has been deactivated, because of which they are put on hold while collecting ration. The food and supply department has made clear that to reactivate a card, e-KYC must be completed.
