Bengaluru: The Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Department has introduced measures to ease difficulties faced by senior citizens, manual workers and other vulnerable beneficiaries while collecting ration under the Anna Bhagya scheme.
Under the revised arrangement, a 2% exemption margin has been approved at every fair-price shop for beneficiaries facing genuine difficulties with biometric fingerprint authentication. The department is also simplifying procedures under the Anna Suvidha scheme, which provides doorstep ration delivery to vulnerable elderly beneficiaries.
The measures address problems reported during ration distribution, including failed fingerprint authentication, poor network connectivity and difficulties faced by beneficiaries who are unable to complete digital procedures independently. Recent reports have also highlighted repeated technical problems at fair-price shops and difficulties faced by elderly beneficiaries during biometric verification.
2% biometric exemption at fair-price shops
Under the new framework, the Food Department has sanctioned a 2% exemption margin from biometric fingerprint verification among the beneficiaries attached to each fair-price shop.
Local authorities are preparing verified lists of eligible beneficiaries who face genuine authentication difficulties. The system is intended to ensure that the exemption reaches those who need it while preventing misuse.
The measure is particularly relevant to elderly beneficiaries whose fingerprints may have become difficult for biometric devices to recognise.
Manual workers, including construction and agricultural labourers, can also experience difficulties because prolonged physical work can affect fingerprint patterns and make authentication difficult.
The department’s move comes amid continuing efforts to address operational problems in ration distribution and e-KYC processes across Karnataka.
Iris authentication to be used as an alternative
The revised system provides for alternative authentication where fingerprint verification is unsuccessful.
For elderly beneficiaries, bedridden persons and people whose fingerprints have worn down, ration distribution can be processed through iris authentication.
This provides an alternative for beneficiaries who are unable to complete fingerprint-based verification despite being eligible for ration.
In cases where even iris authentication is not possible because of medical conditions, visual impairment or other genuine difficulties, complete exemption from both fingerprint and iris authentication can be considered.
The arrangement is aimed at ensuring that technical problems with authentication do not prevent eligible beneficiaries from accessing their entitled foodgrains.
Network problems also affect ration distribution
Biometric difficulties are not the only technical challenge faced by ration beneficiaries.
Poor connectivity and server-related problems at fair-price shops have also affected distribution in different parts of the state. Beneficiaries have sometimes had to wait for extended periods before authentication or transaction processing can be completed.
Recent reports have documented operational problems during the ongoing e-KYC exercise, with the Food Department extending the deadline for beneficiaries amid complaints about technical glitches and long queues.
The department is also working on a mobile-based system to facilitate e-KYC from home and reduce dependence on fair-price shops. Officials said the application was undergoing testing and was expected to be made available to the public within days.
Anna Suvidha registration process simplified
The government has also simplified the procedure under Anna Suvidha, a scheme aimed at providing doorstep delivery of foodgrains to vulnerable beneficiaries.
The scheme focuses on single-member priority households aged above 75 years and Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration cardholders. The continuation of Anna Suvidha was included in Karnataka’s 2025-26 Budget, according to the state’s Economic Survey.
Previously, beneficiaries were required to download a dedicated mobile application and complete registration independently. This created difficulties for elderly people who did not have smartphones or were unfamiliar with digital procedures.
The government has now removed the mandatory app-registration hurdle, simplifying the process for eligible beneficiaries to access doorstep ration delivery.
Focus on vulnerable beneficiaries
The changes are particularly significant for elderly people who may find repeated visits to ration shops difficult.
A beneficiary who cannot complete fingerprint authentication because of age-related changes, physical limitations or other genuine circumstances can now access alternative verification mechanisms.
For those who cannot complete either fingerprint or iris authentication, the exemption mechanism is intended to prevent technical verification from becoming a barrier to receiving ration.
The department’s approach therefore combines alternative biometric authentication with controlled exemptions rather than relying exclusively on fingerprint verification.
Anna Bhagya remains a key food security scheme
Anna Bhagya provides subsidised food security to eligible BPL and Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration cardholders in Karnataka. The state government’s scheme information says eligible beneficiaries receive a total of 10 kg of food assistance per person per month under the current arrangement.
The Public Distribution System operates through a large network of fair-price shops across the state. The National Food Security Act portal currently lists more than 20,500 fair-price shops in Karnataka.
With biometric authentication forming an important part of ration distribution and e-KYC, technical failures can have a direct impact on beneficiaries who depend on the system.
The latest measures seek to make authentication more flexible for beneficiaries facing genuine difficulties while retaining verification safeguards.
Doorstep delivery for elderly beneficiaries
The simplification of Anna Suvidha is also intended to make doorstep delivery more accessible to elderly beneficiaries.
The scheme was designed around the needs of vulnerable single-member households and elderly ration cardholders who may not be able to visit fair-price shops themselves.
Removing the requirement for beneficiaries to independently complete mobile-app registration is expected to reduce a significant digital barrier.
The department’s wider efforts, including the proposed home-based e-KYC application, indicate a move towards reducing the dependence of beneficiaries on physical visits to ration shops for certain procedures.
Conclusion
The latest changes to Anna Bhagya and Anna Suvidha seek to address practical and technical barriers faced by vulnerable ration beneficiaries in Karnataka. The 2% biometric exemption at fair-price shops, provision for iris authentication and further exemptions in exceptional cases are intended to ensure eligible beneficiaries are not denied ration because of authentication difficulties. The simplification of Anna Suvidha is also expected to make doorstep delivery more accessible to elderly beneficiaries.