With the implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013 in J&K, Leh District has come up with a total of 27, 227 ration cards with 1,26, 128 beneficiaries till now. The department Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs is still in process of including and excluding the rationed families as per 2011 census. 

The ration cards are categorized on the basis of the economic status of the family named as  Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) , Below Poverty Line (BPL),  Priority Household(PHH),  Non –Priority Household (NPHH)and the Exclusion (Ex). The APL has been replaced as NPHH and in the exclusion, the gazetted officers, A-Class contractors, highly earned families are excluded from the food supply schemes. 

It is seen that there have been malpractices such as holding double ration card, availing food supply benefit by the highly earned income families, gazette officers and much other corruption in the Public distribution system.  The gap needs to be plugged to make the system corruption free and everyone gets their due share.

Till now 275 rations card has been canceled under the scheme.

During the distribution of free gas connection to the 10 BPL families in Leh on October 19, CEC Dr. Sonam Dawa stated that the list of the APL and BPL families needs to be cross checked properly as they have come across many errors like the BPL are holding the APL cards and the well earned family also have the BPL ration cards.

Talking about monitoring and giving the defined benefit to the deserving families, Incharge Chief Inspector Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs- Ahmed Hussain said a committee has been formed by the Government which includes Rural department, Patwari, and official of the department who does door to door survey to identify and also the ration store keeper is in every village who keeps eye on ill practices. 

He further added, “We check and compare the details filled by the ration card holder and the ground survey report done by the committee to ensure the food supply to the rightful beneficiaries as per categories.”

According to the district census handbook, the total population of the district as per census 2011 is 1,33,487 persons. It consists of 78,971 males and 54,516 females.

The rural sector of the district is inhabited by 87,816 persons which consist of 48,411 males and 39,405 females .The urban sector consists of 45,671 persons among which 30,560 are males and 15,111 females. Whereas, in Jammu and Kashmir CAPD website the number of rationed families is shown as 1,47,104 population as per 2011 census in Leh district.

Report on category wise of Ration Cards in Tehsil Supply Officers (TSO) 

AFSO AAY BPL PHH NPHH EX TOTAL

  Ration Card Beneficiaries Ration Card Beneficiaries Ration Card Beneficiaries Ration Card Beneficiaries Ration Card Beneficiaries Ration Card Beneficiaries

TSO Chuchot 150 428 624 2535 856 4096 1832 9171 55 263 3517 16493

TSO Khaltse 225 892 1422 7025 857 3757 1042 5900 7 34 3553 17608

TSO Kharu 247 622 936 3711 627 2026 873 4139 9 40 2692 10538

TSO Leh 493 1566 963 4194 1702 8358 6191 29527 180 819 9529 44464

TSO Nubra 268 762 1342 6547 514 2437 1903 10533 23 123 4050 20402

TSO Nyoma 245 649 1620 6424 1014 4467 1007 5083 0 0 3886 16623

TOTAL 1628 4919 6907 30436 5570 25141 12848 64353 274 1279 27227 126128

The public distribution system of Leh District as per 2001 census shows a total of 23, 968 rationed families with 10.914 APL, 8259 BPL, and 4795 AAY.  The enactment of National Food Security Act, 2013 issues new ration card as per 2011 census so as to ensure food security to all person particularly those who are economically and socially backward.