VIJAYAWADA: Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar has announced that new ration cards will be issued from May after completing the KYC process by April 30. 

Addressing the media at the State Secretariat on Tuesday, he said the new ration cards will be similar to ATM cards, and they contain all necessary details of the beneficiary, besides security features such as QR code. The new ration cards will allow beneficiaries to add or remove family members, and obtain split cards. Unlike those issued by the previous government, the new ration cards will not bear individual photograph. 

The exact number of beneficiaries eligible for the new ration cards will be ascertained once the KYC process is completed, he explained.

The eKYC, mandated by the Supreme Court, can be completed through WhatsApp and online platforms. Out of 4,24,59,028 beneficiaries, 3,85,74,194 (93%) have successfully completed eKYC, and the remaining are expected to do it by the end of April, he elaborated. The second phase of the Deepam 2.0 scheme will benefit one crore people in the State. So far, 99.03 lakh beneficiaries have availed the scheme, and Rs 760 crore has been deposited directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. Additionally, two lakh new LPG connections have been registered under the scheme, he said.

Fine rice will be supplied for the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme from the academic year 2025-26. Necessary arrangements have been made to distribute fine rice packets to 44,394 schools, and 3,938 residential hostels in the State, he revealed. 

On paddy procurement, the Civil Supplies Minister said the government plans to procure 10 lakh metric tonnes out of the estimated 13.5 lakh metric tonnes harvested in the Rabi season.