New Delhi. The Central Government has started a new digital facility for ration card holders. Now digital rupee i.e. CBDC can be used to buy wheat and rice from government ration shops. This system was first started from Chandigarh. This facility, which started from August 14, 2026, is being seen as a new use of technology in the ration distribution system.
Under the new system, the food subsidy amount will be sent to the digital wallet of eligible beneficiaries. After reaching the ration shop, the beneficiary will scan the QR code and pay with digital rupees and will be able to take the prescribed quantity of grains in return. More than 55 thousand beneficiaries have been connected with this facility in Chandigarh. For this, 542 government ration shops have been connected to the digital system.
The amount will be used only to buy ration
The subsidy amount received in the digital wallet cannot be used to purchase anything else. This amount will be used only for purchasing prescribed food items. This will help the government to monitor the proper utilization of subsidies and reduce the possibility of irregularities.
If not used the amount will be refunded
A special rule has also been kept in this system. If the beneficiary does not utilize the entire amount of subsidy received in the digital wallet within a month, the remaining amount will automatically go back to the government account. This will help in digital monitoring and transparency of transactions.
If this experiment started from Chandigarh is successful, there is a possibility of implementing such digital ration system in other parts of the country in future. This can help in reaching the government subsidy to the right beneficiary and making the ration distribution system more transparent.