Hyderabad officials are taking significant steps to address the issuance of new ration cards as part of an extensive overhaul aimed at ensuring accuracy and fairness in the distribution process. The current focus is on removing the details of ineligible and deceased individuals from the existing list of ration card holders and subsequently registering new names.The initiative follows revelations during the KYC (Know Your Customer) process that some deceased individuals had been listed for years, and their applications remained unresolved due to a lack of clear government instructions. The backlog includes about 20,000 pending requests for new names in each administrative circle, with a total of 2.8 lakh (280,000) applications received in Hyderabad, 34,000 in Medchal Malkajgiri, and 87,000 in Rangareddy district.To streamline the process, officials plan to identify eligible applicants from the current pool or issue new invitations for applications. A comprehensive field-level survey will be conducted to determine eligibility before new cards are issued. This methodical approach aims to rectify longstanding issues and ensure that the ration distribution system is both accurate and equitable.The finalization of new ration cards will proceed once the current verification and registration processes are completed, addressing the gaps left by previous administrative oversights.