By News Desk 
Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh — May 25: As part of Madhya Pradesh’s push to modernize and streamline its public distribution system, the e-KYC (electronic Know Your Customer) verification drive under the Ration Smart Distribution Scheme has reached nearly 90% completion in Chhindwara district. However, more than 1.2 lakh beneficiaries still remain outside the verification net — many of whom are reportedly deceased, have migrated, or are otherwise unreachable.
The state government has now issued a final deadline of May 31 for completing e-KYC. After this date, unverified beneficiaries will be automatically removed from the ration rolls, with no further extensions.
12.25 Lakh Verified, 1.20 Lakh Still Pending
Out of a total of 13.45 lakh registered ration beneficiaries in Chhindwara, 12.25 lakh have completed their e-KYC. The remaining 1.20 lakh include inactive or absentee individuals — some of whom haven’t collected rations in years, though their families may still be doing so in their names.
Delay in Eligibility Approvals Due to Ineligible Beneficiaries
The state had paused the issuance of new eligibility slips eight months ago in order to identify and remove ineligible beneficiaries from the system. Currently, over 15,000 new applications are pending approval. However, these will only be processed once the current list is purged of names that no longer meet eligibility criteria.
Final Deadline After Multiple Extensions
The e-KYC completion deadline has been extended three times already:
- Initial deadline: April 30
- First extension: May 15
- Final deadline: May 31
Officials have confirmed that no further extensions will be granted, and those failing to comply will be automatically excluded from the ration scheme.
18,473 Ineligible Names Already Removed
As part of the review conducted at the municipal and panchayat levels, 18,473 ineligible names have already been deleted from the ration list. Previously, over 13.62 lakh individuals under the priority category were receiving subsidized grains — including 3 kg of wheat and 2 kg of rice per person. Removal of ineligible recipients has brought this number down.
Technical Issues Temporarily Affected May Distribution
Ration distribution in May faced hurdles until the 16th of the month, largely due to delays in updating e-KYC records. Some fair price shops were non-operational. However, 91% of ration shops have since resumed normal operations, with the remaining shops expected to follow suit shortly.
Smart Ration Distribution System Coming Soon
To enhance efficiency and reduce misuse, the state will soon implement a Smart Ration Distribution System. This new model will utilize Point-of-Sale (POS) machines at ration shops to verify beneficiaries through digital records. Only those registered on the state portal will be eligible to receive subsidized food grains.
Official Statement
Speaking on the ongoing drive, District Supply Officer Ganga Kumare stated,
“We’ve successfully completed e-KYC for around 90% of the district’s beneficiaries. The remaining 1.20 lakh have been given a final opportunity until May 31. So far, we have removed 18,473 ineligible names from the list.”
As the deadline nears, district officials are urging all pending beneficiaries to complete their verification to continue receiving benefits under the state’s subsidized food grain scheme.