2.75 lakh BPL cards cancelled in month-long clean-up drive
In a sweeping move aimed at correcting welfare data, the Haryana Government has cancelled nearly 2.75 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards in the past month. The number of BPL ration cardholders dropped from 51.97 lakh in April to 49.22 lakh, a nearly 5% reduction, according to Aadhaar-enabled data from the state’s Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department.
Faridabad tops in revocation
Total BPL cards (April 2024): 51.97 lakh
Total after clean-up: 49.22 lakh
Cards cancelled: 2.75 lakh
Reduction (in %) 5%
Top districts: Faridabad (18,200), followed by Hisar (16,776), Sirsa (15,369), Karnal (15,026)
Lowest BPL count: Panchkula (87,150)
Reasons for removal: Non-usage for over a year, false claims
An official explained that the deletions were part of a verification drive that targeted families who had not collected rations for over a year. “These non-operational cards raised suspicion, so we removed them from the BPL list,” the official said. The deactivated cards have now been converted to regular ration cards, stripping those families of access to BPL-specific benefits.
The move comes amid long-standing concerns over inflated BPL numbers. As recently as November, 70% of the state’s population appeared classified as BPL — a figure officials found disproportionately high.
The drive has had the most impact in Faridabad, which saw the cancellation of 18,200 cards, followed by Hisar (16,776), Sirsa (15,369), and Karnal (15,026). These districts were also among those with the highest BPL enrolments prior to the clean-up.
By contrast, Panchkula reported the lowest number of BPL cards at 87,150, followed by Charkhi Dadri, Rewari, Jhajjar, Mahendragarh, and Gurugram.
A senior official from the Food Department said the state was committed to eliminating fraudulent beneficiaries: “Cards obtained through false means will also be cancelled. The verification process will continue,” he added.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had earlier appealed to citizens to voluntarily withdraw from the BPL list if they no longer qualified. The government has urged residents to visit Citizen Resources Information Department (CIDR) offices in their districts and submit supporting documents for review. A district-level committee has been formed to assess and reinstate valid applicants.
