jhunjhunu, Nov.01,2025:The Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu refers to a focused campaign in the Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan, where the local food and civil supplies department has initiated strict measures to identify and remove ineligible persons from the benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) scheme. The aim is to ensure that subsidised grain and ration benefits reach only genuine low-income families, and not those who are ineligible yet continue to draw from the scheme-
The campaign is implemented through what is commonly called the “Give-Up” campaign (स्वैच्छिक नाम हटाने अभियान), where persons who are aware they are ineligible are encouraged to voluntarily relinquish their entitlement. In Jhunjhunu, the authorities have gone further: for those who fail to remove themselves, notices are being served and recovery action initiated for disproportionate consumption of subsidised grain.
Why has the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu become necessary
Several factors explain the urgency behind the campaign
Wastage of benefits
Many reports have revealed that persons earning high incomes or owning luxury vehicles were still drawing subsidised wheat and ration intended for the poor. For example, a central report indicated that in Rajasthan, SUV owners and families with incomes above ₹25 lakh were availing benefits under the NFSA for more than a decade.
Misallocation leads to exclusion of the needy
When ineligible persons draw from the scheme, genuinely needy families are deprived. The campaign aims to correct this misallocation so that the benefits are reaching those they were intended for. This has been particularly flagged by the district officials in Jhunjhunu.
Government savings and accountability
By removing ineligible persons, the state is able to save substantial subsidy funds and improve transparency and accountability of the public distribution system (PDS). For instance, across Rajasthan, 17.5 lakh plus people have opted out under the give-up campaign, leading to savings of over ₹324 crore.
how extensive is the action in Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu
Here are the major numbers that illustrate the scale of the campaign under the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu–
- 860 ineligible beneficiaries notified so far in Jhunjhunu district. These are persons who were non-eligible yet remained on the beneficiary list.
- 1,37,789 units removed from the food security list in Jhunjhunu, across 16,200 ration cards.
- Earlier, under the same campaign in Jhunjhunu, 2,370 ration cards and 10,630 units were removed after identifying government employees and others misusing the benefits.
- State-wide, over 17 lakh persons have opted out under the give-up campaign in Rajasthan, with more than ₹324 crore of subsidy savings.
These figures show that the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu campaign is both sizeable and significant in its impact.
How the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu campaign works
Let’s break down the process followed by the district administration under this initiative.
Eligibility verification
Authorities cross-check beneficiaries’ names and status against various datasets: income tax records, vehicle registration (four-wheelers), employment in government/ semi-government sectors, etc. If any of these indicate ineligibility (for example income above a threshold, four-wheeler vehicle ownership), they are flagged.
Issuance of notices
Once ineligible persons are identified, notices are served. In Jhunjhunu, 860 such persons have already been issued notices under the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu campaign. This is to inform them of liability for recovery and requirement to remove themselves from the scheme if they wish to avoid penalties.
Give-Up option
In many cases, those identified are given a window to voluntarily relinquish their name from the scheme. In the Jhunjhunu campaign, those who apply to remove themselves by a set deadline avoid further recovery or legal action.
Recovery of subsidised benefits
If individuals do not comply, the department moves to recover subsidised benefit amounts. For instance, families who collected wheat at subsidised rate and were found ineligible may be charged at ₹30.57/kg (in Jhunjhunu) for the quantity collected.
Removal from beneficiary list
Once confirmed ineligible, or voluntarily removed, the beneficiary unit is deleted from the NFSA list. In Jhunjhunu, 1,37,789 units have been removed.
Monitoring and future inclusion of the needy
Post-cleanup, the department focuses on identifying genuinely needy families and ensuring they are included in the list — thereby improving equity in the system.
Who is being targeted by the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu action
Under the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu campaign, the focus has been on identifying specific categories of ineligible persons-
- Individuals or families whose annual income exceeds the defined threshold for eligibility (e.g., above ₹1 lakh or higher) and/or are income-tax payers.
- Owners of four-wheeler vehicles who nonetheless drew benefits under the scheme intended for the economically weaker sections.
- Government or semi-government employees who are drawing benefits under the NFSA despite being ineligible. In Jhunjhunu, some government employees were found in violation.
- Other invalid heads of households who have been on the beneficiary list despite being financially well-off. This includes persons with large incomes, owning expensive vehicles, etc.
By targeting these groups, the campaign effectively protects the integrity of the system and ensures the subsidy reaches the needy.
Impact on genuine beneficiaries and next steps
Positive impact
- The Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu campaign has created greater transparency and likely improved access for low-income families who were earlier deprived due to misuse of the scheme.
- It has achieved financial savings for the state government and improved trust in the public distribution system (PDS).
- Awareness among the public has increased: people are now more conscious that they must either be eligible or opt-out voluntarily, otherwise face recovery.
Challenges and gaps
- Despite the cleanup drive, there remain genuine needy families who are yet to be included in the list. The district officials acknowledged this gap.
- Legal recovery and tracking of all ineligible persons is a complex task and requires coordination across departments (transport, income tax, vehicle registration data) which can be slow.
- Re-inclusion of eligible beneficiaries needs consistent monitoring, data-verifications, and field audits to ensure timely benefits.
What comes next under the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu
- Continued monitoring by field inspectors and regular audits of the beneficiary list.
- Linking more databases (Aadhaar, vehicle registration, income tax) to identify potential exclusions or inclusions.
- Public awareness campaigns to encourage voluntary give-up by ineligible persons and to encourage eligible persons to enrol.
- Using the freed-up quota to add new genuine beneficiaries, thereby closing the gap of needy families left out.
Challenges & recommendations for the Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu
To maximise the benefits of the campaign, the following recommendations may be considered-
- Strengthen data integration: Linking revenue, transport and PDS databases in real-time would reduce entry of ineligible persons and speed up removal.
- Field verification: Periodic surprise checks at ration shops (FPS) to ensure that the subsidised grain is not diverted or misused.
- Public-grievance redressal: Create an easy-to-use mechanism for genuinely needy persons to apply for inclusion and for those wrongly listed to appeal.
- Transparent communication: Publish district-wise numbers of removed vs added beneficiaries, improvements in access for needy, to build public confidence.
- Post-removal tracking: For all removed cards, check if the freed quota has been effectively re-allocated to needy households — not just removed.
- Penalty-and-deterrence framework: Clear rules for recovery are essential. For example, Jhunjhunu’s mechanism of recovering at ₹30.57/kg for ineligible wheat taken.
The Food Security Scheme Jhunjhunu campaign marks a strong and disciplined effort by the district administration to clean up the public distribution system, remove ineligible beneficiaries and safeguard the subsidy meant for the truly needy. With 860 notices issued, 1,37,789 units removed, and ongoing action on multiple fronts, Jhunjhunu is setting a precedent of accountability and fairness.
For the poor and deserving families of Jhunjhunu, this campaign offers hope: hope that the scheme will now function as intended, delivering subsidised grain and support to those most in need. But the success will depend on sustained action, data-driven monitoring and continuous public engagement.
