Chandigarh, July 22: The Punjab Government has unveiled a tech-driven overhaul of its public distribution system, replacing traditional manual verification with API-integrated database checks and digital audit trails. The modernized portal, launching July 22, will facilitate the issuance of 10 lakh new ration cards while allowing existing cardholders to add new family members smoothly.
The revised enrollment architecture prioritizes vulnerable population groups through an objective criteria system. Applicants representing below-poverty-line families, individuals with severe medical conditions, senior citizens, widows, and households with inadequate living structures will automatically receive higher priority scores during processing.
The expansion also expands coverage under the state’s existing nutritional efforts. New cardholders will join over 32 lakh families currently receiving assistance under the ‘Meri Rasoi’ program, which supplements basic wheat allocations with essential household culinary items.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann maintained that the transition away from discretionary approvals ensures that historical practices of selective political allocation are permanently replaced with administrative equity.
“Technology will play a key role in ensuring accountability. Every application will undergo physical household verification, geo-tagged and time-stamped inspections, along with API-based verification through government databases,” stated Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The administration confirmed that digital logging will remain active across all district centers to maintain complete audit trails for all approved and rejected filings.
