Mangaluru: The ration card e-KYC process continues to move slowly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, with a large number of beneficiaries yet to complete the mandatory verification despite repeated efforts by the Food and Civil Supplies Department.
The latest figures indicate that about 2.61 lakh ration card beneficiaries in Dakshina Kannada and 2.25 lakh in Udupi are still pending e-KYC. The slow progress has been attributed to earlier technical problems, including server-related difficulties, as well as reduced participation among some beneficiaries.
The situation comes as Karnataka has extended the e-KYC deadline to October 20 and introduced a new mobile-based facility intended to make the verification process easier for beneficiaries.
Large number of beneficiaries yet to complete e-KYC
The pending figures in the two coastal districts remain substantial.
In Dakshina Kannada, around 2.61 lakh beneficiaries are yet to complete the process, while Udupi has approximately 2.25 lakh pending cases. The figures cover beneficiaries linked to ration cards who are required to complete the verification process.
The Food and Civil Supplies Department has been encouraging beneficiaries to complete e-KYC so that ration card records can be updated and verified.
The process involves authentication using Aadhaar-linked biometric or other permitted verification methods. Officials have previously advised beneficiaries to ensure that every eligible member listed on a ration card completes e-KYC.
Server problems affected progress
One of the major obstacles earlier was the technical difficulty experienced at fair price shops.
Beneficiaries in several parts of Karnataka had reported having to wait at ration shops because of server problems. The technical issues resulted in delays and made it difficult for some people to complete the verification even after visiting the designated centres.
The government subsequently extended the deadline from September 30 to October 20, 2026, providing additional time for beneficiaries to complete the process. The department also revised the operating hours of fair price shops from October 1 to make the service more accessible.
Under the revised schedule, fair price shops are required to remain open from 7 am to noon and again from 4 pm to 8 pm.
The extended hours are intended to help people, particularly daily-wage workers and others who may find it difficult to visit ration shops during conventional working hours.
New Anna Seve app introduced
The Food and Civil Supplies Department has now introduced another option to ease the e-KYC process.
The Anna Seve mobile application allows eligible ration card members to complete e-KYC using Aadhaar-based face authentication. The service was initially introduced on a pilot basis in eight districts, including Udupi, and is scheduled to be expanded across Karnataka from October 10.
The pilot districts include Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Udupi, Haveri, Uttara Kannada, Ballari, Bidar and Koppal.
The introduction of the app is aimed at reducing the need for beneficiaries to stand in queues at fair price shops and providing an alternative digital route for verification.
The official application listing says the system uses Aadhaar-based face authentication for ration card e-KYC and is intended to help maintain an updated beneficiary database.
Udupi among pilot districts
Udupi has been included in the first phase of the Anna Seve rollout.
This is particularly relevant given the large number of pending e-KYC cases reported in the district. Beneficiaries who are eligible to use the digital facility can complete the process through face authentication rather than depending entirely on biometric verification at a ration shop.
The new system is expected to provide an additional option for people who face difficulties travelling to fair price shops or waiting for their turn.
However, beneficiaries who are unable to use the digital facility can continue to approach the designated fair price shops and other authorised centres for assistance.
Every eligible member must complete verification
An important aspect of the e-KYC process is that verification is linked to individual beneficiaries rather than merely the ration card as a document.
If several members are listed on a ration card, the required verification has to be completed by the eligible members. Officials have previously clarified that the e-KYC process is considered complete only after all relevant members have completed the required authentication.
If a person listed on a ration card has died, the family is expected to have the name officially removed from the card.
This updating of records is part of the broader effort to maintain accurate beneficiary databases and identify inactive or ineligible entries.
e-KYC aimed at updating ration records
The verification exercise is part of the wider digitisation of India’s public distribution system.
Aadhaar seeding, biometric authentication and e-KYC have been used to verify beneficiaries and update ration card databases. The Centre has also been pursuing measures to identify inactive and duplicate entries in the public distribution system.
According to a September 2026 government update, the national e-KYC coverage had reached 90.64% as of July 30, 2026.
The exercise is therefore not limited to Karnataka, although the implementation process and deadlines are determined by the relevant state authorities.
Beneficiaries advised not to wait until deadline
With October 20 now the deadline in Karnataka, officials are encouraging beneficiaries who have not completed e-KYC to do so at the earliest.
Waiting until the final days could again result in long queues and increased pressure on fair price shops, particularly if large numbers of beneficiaries attempt to complete verification simultaneously.
The introduction of Anna Seve could reduce some of that pressure, especially after the application becomes available across the state.
However, beneficiaries should use only the officially designated e-KYC channels. Earlier in September, the Karnataka Food Department clarified that e-KYC carried out through the central Mera Ration app was not recognised as valid for the state’s ration-card verification process and advised beneficiaries to complete the process through authorised channels.
Coastal districts face a fresh deadline
The large pending numbers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi show that the e-KYC exercise remains incomplete in parts of coastal Karnataka.
The earlier technical difficulties slowed the process, while officials are now attempting to improve access through extended ration-shop hours and digital verification.
For beneficiaries, the immediate priority is to complete the required verification before the October 20 deadline and ensure that all eligible members on their ration cards are properly verified.
Conclusion
Ration card e-KYC remains incomplete for a large number of beneficiaries in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, with around 2.61 lakh cases pending in Dakshina Kannada and 2.25 lakh in Udupi. After earlier server-related difficulties, Karnataka has extended the deadline to October 20 and introduced the Anna Seve app as an additional digital option. Udupi is among the eight districts included in the initial rollout of the app, which is expected to make e-KYC easier for eligible beneficiaries.