Bihar Food Security: 2.375 Million New Beneficiaries and 1,448 PDS Licences

The news

Bihar has brought approximately 2.375 million new beneficiaries under ration-card coverage and issued licences to 1,448 newly selected Public Distribution System vendors. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary distributed the cards and licences at a state-level programme held at Gyan Bhawan in Patna on 12 November 2026. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and senior officials of the Food and Consumer Protection Department were present.

The expansion aims to bring more eligible poor and needy families under the National Food Security Act who had previously been left out. The new PDS vendor licences are expected to increase the number of fair-price shops in rural and urban areas, reducing the distance beneficiaries have to travel for subsidised food grains. The department is also using Smart PDS 2.0 and Aadhaar-based electronic Know Your Customer verification to improve transparency and identify fake ration cards. District-level distribution of remaining cards and licences is to continue after the state-level programme.

What is the National Food Security Act, 2013?

The National Food Security Act, 2013, legally entitles up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System. It recognises the Antyodaya Anna Yojana households as the poorest of the poor and entitles them to 35 kg of food grains per family per month. The Act also includes provisions for nutritional support to women and children, such as maternity benefits and meals in anganwadis and schools. The Targeted Public Distribution System itself was revamped from the earlier universal PDS in 1997 to focus on the poor. The Supreme Court, in the PUCL vs Union of India case, has repeatedly directed governments to ensure food distribution reaches the most vulnerable.

What is the National Food Security Act and the PDS?

The National Food Security Act, 2013, provides a statutory framework for food and nutritional security by entitling eligible households to subsidised food grains. The Public Distribution System delivers these grains through a network of fair-price shops. Ration cards serve as the primary identification document for beneficiaries within this system.

How will digital verification improve the system?

Smart PDS 2.0 and Aadhaar-based e-KYC are being used to identify and remove fake ration cards while ensuring genuine eligible families are included. Digital verification can strengthen record accuracy, but its effectiveness depends on eligible households being able to complete the verification process and receive their entitlements without difficulty.

What are the next steps for implementation?

District authorities are to continue distributing the remaining ration cards and vendor licences. Effective implementation requires accessible verification, timely opening of licensed shops and monitoring of food distribution. Attention to households facing verification or access difficulties can help ensure that the objective of including every eligible poor family is realised.