The Chhattisgarh government is advocating for an extension to the deadline for ration distribution, offering a reprieve for a vast number of ration cardholders. The current cut-off date of June 30th might be moved to July 20th, 2025, encompassing the distribution period from June through August 2025. The Food Department, under the direction of Food Minister Dayal Das Baghel, has formally requested this extension from the central government.
The request cited the high volume of biometric transactions and the ongoing upgrades to the e-POS machines as contributing factors to delays in ration distribution. The state provides rations to roughly 8.1 million families, necessitating 34.1 million biometric transactions. Unseasonal rainfall in May also negatively affected the process. The government is aiming to ensure all entitled recipients can receive their rations smoothly with the extended deadline.