Jammu, May 7: Principal Secretary, Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction, Chandraker Bharti, chaired a review meeting to assess the implementation of the Special Relief Ration Scheme for Kashmiri and Jammu migrants and the integration of their ration cards into the National Food Security Act (NFSA) database.

The meeting, attended by senior officials from the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, Relief Organisation, Social Welfare Department, and NIC, reviewed progress under Government Order No. 15-JK(FCS&CA) of 2026 dated 05.03.2026.
Officials informed that over 19,000 migrant ration cards have already been digitised and integrated into the NFSA database, while around 8,000 more are in process. It was further noted that full ration quotas have been supplied to designated depots, and more than 5,200 migrant families have already lifted ration since distribution began on April 18, 2026. Beneficiaries unable to collect ration in April are being provided two months’ free ration for April and May.
The government also highlighted recent amendments to the J&K Food Security Rules, 2021 and the Targeted Public Distribution (Control) Order, 2023, enabling long-pending integration of migrant ration cards into the national system. Officials noted that this reform comes after nearly 35 years during which migrants were unable to access several welfare schemes due to non-digitised records.
Under the revised system, relief category migrants will continue to receive 11 kg free ration per person per month along with 1 kg sugar, while non-relief category beneficiaries such as pensioners will receive 5 kg ration at subsidised rates under NFSA norms.
The meeting also decided to extend ration distribution for April 2026 into May to ensure no beneficiary is left out during the transition phase. Departments were directed to conduct outreach to ensure coverage of all eligible households, including those with pending e-KYC formalities.
An extensive IEC campaign will also be launched to create awareness about the integration process, which officials described as a welfare-driven reform aimed at transparency, inclusion, and better service delivery.
Strict instructions were issued for action against fair price shop dealers violating guidelines and for preventing misinformation or intimidation of beneficiaries. Departments were asked to intensify field monitoring and supervision of ration distribution and e-KYC verification.
Additionally, special camps will be organised to help migrants access other welfare schemes such as Old Age Pension, Widow Pension, Disability Pension, Ayushman Bharat, scholarships, and marriage assistance schemes. So far, around 600 families have benefited from these social welfare initiatives following integration.
The Principal Secretary reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring seamless transition and safeguarding all entitlements of migrant families, stating that the process will be completed in a time-bound manner with full protection of existing relief provisions.