Over 2.21 crore bogus ration cards have been deleted from the list of subsidised foodgrain beneficiaries as part of a special drive started in 2006.

Food Minister K V Thomas said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that 2.21 crore bogus/ineligible ration cards have been deleted in 26 states and Union Territories as a result of ongoing campaign since July 2006 to December 2011.

Elaborating on the details, he said 42.20 lakh bogus ration cards have been deleted as part of review of Below Poverty Line and Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) families ration cards in Maharashtra, followed by Andhra Pradesh (27.27 lakh) and Madhya Pradesh (24.97 lakh).

In reply to another question, the Minister said the government is examining proposals given by states like Bihar, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for direct disbursement of food subsidy in cash to BPL/AAY families.

Under the proposed scheme, the Department of Food and Public Distribution will make allocation of funds for disbursement of cash subsidy based upon the number of AAY and BPL card holders in pilot districts, Thomas added.

Disbursement for card holders in these districts would be made to district authorities directly, under intimation to the concerned state governments, the Minister said.

The district offices will directly disburse the amount of food subsidy to the respective bank/post office account of AAY and BPL ration cardholders on the basis of their entitlement, he said.

A task force has been constituted under Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the terms of which were extended to include reforms of Public Distribution System (PDS) including an IT strategy for PDS and an implementable solution for direct transfer of subsidies on food and kerosene, he added.

The task force submitted its report to Union Finance Minister on November 2, 2011, Thomas said.