Sat Mar 15 15:57:41 UTC 2025: ## Tiruppur Residents Opt for “No Commodity” Ration Cards in Droves

**TIRUPPUR, Tamil Nadu – March 16, 2025** – A significant number of higher-income ration card holders in Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu, are switching to “no commodity” cards, according to the Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department. This move follows the implementation of a biometric system preventing misuse of cards and aims to streamline the public distribution system (PDS).

The department encourages those in higher income groups to opt for the “no commodity” card through the online portal http://www.tnpds.gov.in. While holders of these cards cannot purchase subsidized commodities, it prevents misuse and eliminates the need for the mandatory three-monthly purchase to avoid card cancellation. The department conducts doorstep verifications every three months for inactive cards, a process the “no commodity” option circumvents.

The shift to “no commodity” cards is particularly prevalent in Tiruppur and other economically prosperous districts in the Western region of Tamil Nadu. The district boasts 1,135 fair price shops serving 2,311,519 beneficiaries through 818,726 issued cards. The department regularly updates ration card details based on birth and death certificates issued by local bodies.

This initiative is viewed as a measure to enhance the efficiency and integrity of the PDS in the state, effectively addressing concerns about the previous system’s vulnerability to misuse.

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