Bihar Ration Card 2026: apply epds.bihar.gov.in, e-KYC guide

Bihar ration card 2026 at a glance

Bihar has 6.85 crore ration card holders on the rolls of the Department of Food, Consumer Protection and Public Distribution, which makes it the second largest state PDS in India after Uttar Pradesh. Every operation on the card, from new application to status check to e-ration card download, runs through the state portal at epds.bihar.gov.in.

Two live 2026 numbers matter more than any other before you file a fresh application. The department set 31 March 2026 as the hard deadline for Aadhaar e-KYC of every household member above age 5, and 5.2 crore holders completed the e-KYC by the deadline, per department reporting cited by regional dailies. The remaining 1.65 crore holders are still pending, and the department has flagged suspension risk for households that do not complete e-KYC at their Fair Price Shop (FPS) in the coming distribution cycles.

The second live number is the clubbed distribution decision. The department announced that the June, July, and August 2026 monthly quotas will be released together in a single distribution window at every FPS across the state. The reason is flood-season supply logistics. Bihar's monsoon typically stresses road access to riverine districts (Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Supaul), and a single consolidated release lets the department pre-position stock at the FPS before the roads become unreliable.

If you land here to apply for a new card, complete pending e-KYC, download your e-ration card, or add a family member, every route is covered below with the exact epds.bihar.gov.in step, the document stack, and the escalation ladder if the file is stuck.

The Bihar page draws its authority from the department, from the national NFSA framework administered by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and from primary reporting on the e-KYC drive and clubbed distribution announcement. Every dated stat below is attributed inline in the sentence it appears in.

Who is eligible for a Bihar ration card in 2026

Any resident household of Bihar within the state's Priority Household inclusion criteria is eligible under the National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA). Bihar does not publish a hard rupee ceiling for state-wide Priority Household (PHH) eligibility. The department uses NFSA priority scoring instead, based on housing type, primary occupation of the head of family, and social-deprivation criteria.

The priority-scoring model draws from the Socio Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC) data as updated by the department during the 2015-16 rollout, and revised through periodic district-level surveys. Households classified as priority under the SECC and subsequent surveys, or households that meet the state-notified inclusion criteria (kutcha house, no adult earning member, scheduled tribe household in scheduled areas, transgender person as head of family, single-woman household, senior citizen with no support), rank first in the state's PHH allocation.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), the poorest-of-poor slab, has criteria-based eligibility rather than income-only. In Bihar the AAY criteria are widow with no earning male member, disabled with 40 percent or higher disability and no earning member, elderly above 60 with no adult earning support, tribal households in scheduled areas, and destitute households identified by the gram panchayat or urban local body. AAY households get 35 kg of grain per household per month.

The exclusion criteria that disqualify a household from any NFSA slab in Bihar are three, and they apply state-wide. A household with an income tax filer among adult members. A household owning a four-wheeler passenger vehicle registered in an adult member's name. A household where an adult member is a government employee at the state or central level. These exclusions are checked at the district office during application verification.

Nationality is Indian citizen. Every listed member above age 5 must complete Aadhaar e-KYC, which is now mandatory statewide and drove the March 2026 deadline discussed in the next section.

Types of ration cards offered by Bihar

Bihar issues three ration card categories on its EPDS system, and each carries a different grain quantum and price.

Priority Household (PHH) is the main NFSA slab in Bihar and covers the bulk of the 6.85 crore holders on the state rolls. PHH households get 5 kg of grain per person per month at zero cost under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which was extended by the Union Cabinet on 29 November 2023 through 31 December 2028. Before PMGKAY, PHH households paid Rs 3 per kg for rice and Rs 2 per kg for wheat under the NFSA issue price, but the current free distribution supersedes that pricing.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is the poorest-of-poor slab. AAY households in Bihar get 35 kg of grain per household per month at zero cost under PMGKAY, regardless of the family size. AAY cards in Bihar are colour-marked and receive priority handling at the FPS during distribution.

Anna Yojana pink card is Bihar's state-level overlay on top of the central NFSA classification. The pink card was rolled out by the state government to extend PDS coverage to households that ranked just below the NFSA cutoff on the state priority-scoring model but were considered vulnerable by the district administration. Pink card households draw a state-notified quantum funded partly by the state exchequer and partly through the NFSA channel. The pink overlay is not universal across all districts and is issued on a demand-based rolling model through the block office.

Non-Priority Household (NPHH), the fourth category recognised nationally, exists on the Bihar EPDS database as a record of households outside NFSA eligibility, but does not draw subsidised NFSA grain. NPHH is not actively marketed by the department because the state-level Anna Yojana pink overlay covers the near-miss households that would otherwise sit in NPHH.

Pick the category that matches your household situation, not the highest-quantum one. AAY criteria are strict and applying under AAY without meeting the widow, disability, elderly, or tribal criteria delays the file.

The 1.65 crore e-KYC pending crisis, and what to do if you missed the 31 March 2026 deadline

The department set 31 March 2026 as the hard deadline for Aadhaar e-KYC of every listed member above age 5 on every ration card in Bihar. As of the latest reporting, 5.2 crore holders completed e-KYC by the deadline, but 1.65 crore holders are still pending, per regional dailies covering the department's May 2026 review.

Pending households face suspension risk. Once the department flags a card for non-compliance, the ePoS device at the FPS blocks the monthly draw until e-KYC is completed for every listed member. This means a household that was drawing 25 kg of grain per month (5 members at 5 kg each) can be reduced to zero if none of the listed members complete e-KYC in the current cycle.

If you missed the 31 March 2026 deadline, the good news is that late e-KYC is still accepted at your FPS free of cost. Here is the exact sequence to complete late e-KYC and restore your household's active status.

1. Confirm which members are pending. Visit epds.bihar.gov.in, log in with your ration card number and Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP, and open the household member list. Members with a red "KYC Pending" tag are the ones you need to bring to the FPS.

2. Take every pending member to the FPS during working hours (typically 8 AM to 12 noon and 4 PM to 8 PM). Bring the original Aadhaar card of each pending member. The FPS dealer runs Aadhaar-based e-KYC on the ePoS device using fingerprint biometric first, falling back to iris scan or OTP if fingerprint fails.

3. Vulnerable members (elderly with worn fingerprints, disabled members, small children between age 5 and age 10) should attempt iris scan or OTP on the ePoS. All ePoS devices deployed by the department support all three authentication modes.

4. Ask the FPS dealer to print the e-KYC acknowledgment slip for each member. Keep the slip until the next month's distribution to confirm reactivation.

5. Household reactivation reflects on the state portal within 48 to 72 hours. If the card still shows "Suspended" after 7 days, escalate to the Block Supply Officer (BSO) at the block office with the acknowledgment slips.

6. If the FPS dealer refuses to run e-KYC or claims the ePoS is out of order for more than 3 days in a row, file a grievance on the Bihar Public Grievance Redressal System (BPGRS) portal or call the department toll-free number 1800-345-6194.

Do not pay any middleman or cyber cafe for e-KYC. The service is free at every FPS across Bihar, and any charge is an unauthorised extraction.

Documents required for a new Bihar ration card

The document stack for a new Bihar ration card is deliberately kept short by the department, and self-declaration is accepted for the income part.

Identity and address proofs form the base layer. Aadhaar card of every household member (mandatory e-KYC above age 5). One address proof from voter ID, electricity bill, rent agreement, or municipal water bill of the head of family. Passport-size family group photograph covering all listed members.

Income and eligibility proofs form the second layer. Self-declaration of household income on the state-prescribed format (Bihar accepts self-declaration for PHH applications and does not require a tehsildar income certificate for the standard PHH file). If applying under AAY, add the applicable criteria proof: widow certificate for widow AAY, disability certificate (40 percent or higher) for disability AAY, senior citizen ID for elderly AAY, or scheduled tribe certificate for tribal AAY in scheduled areas.

Bank and mobile linkage form the third layer. Bank account number and IFSC of the head of family for any DBT-linked scheme that rides on the ration card as an identity proof. Mobile number that will receive OTPs for e-KYC and status updates.

Optional documents that speed up verification are the previous ration card (if the household is applying for card renewal or splitting from a parent household), and the Aadhaar-Bank seeding letter (if applying with a bank that requires explicit NPCI mapping).

The department does not require caste certificate for a standard PHH application. Caste certificate is required only when applying under an AAY sub-category that draws on the scheduled tribe or scheduled caste criterion.

How to apply for a Bihar ration card on epds.bihar.gov.in step by step

The Bihar EPDS portal is the single official entry point for a new ration card application. Follow these seven steps end to end.

1. Open epds.bihar.gov.in on a browser. On the home page, click Apply for Online RC. This opens the state's RCMS (Ration Card Management System) module.

2. Register on the portal. Enter your Aadhaar-linked mobile number, receive an OTP, verify it, and set a password. This creates your applicant login.

3. Log in and start a new application. Select the district, block, and gram panchayat (for rural) or ward (for urban) where the household resides. This routes the file to the correct block or urban local body.

4. Fill the household details form. Enter the head of family's name, Aadhaar number, date of birth, gender, occupation, and mobile number. Add every other household member with their Aadhaar number, date of birth, relationship to the head of family, and gender. Verify Aadhaar for each member through the inline e-KYC widget.

5. Upload documents. Family group photograph (JPEG under 200 KB), address proof (PDF or JPEG under 500 KB), and self-declaration of income on the state-prescribed format. If applying under AAY, upload the applicable criteria proof.

6. Select the card category (PHH or AAY or Anna Yojana pink) and preview the application. Cross-check every Aadhaar, date of birth, and spelling. Any mismatch triggers verification failure at the district office and adds 15 to 30 days to the timeline.

7. Submit the application. Note the acknowledgment number that the portal displays on submission. This is your reference number for every future status check, correction, or escalation. Save the acknowledgment PDF to your phone or print it.

Application processing at the block level is capped at 30 days under NFSA Section 14, though actual timelines run 15 to 45 days in most Bihar districts. If your file crosses 30 days without a decision, follow the escalation ladder in the grievance section below.

Offline application through the nearest FPS or the Block Supply Officer's office is also accepted for households without smartphone or internet access. The offline form is available at the block office free of cost, and the document stack is identical.

How to check Bihar ration card status by application number or Aadhaar

Status checks on the Bihar EPDS portal work through three separate pathways, and each covers a different question.

By application reference number: on epds.bihar.gov.in, click RC Application Status on the home page, enter your acknowledgment number, and the portal returns the current stage (Received, Under Block Verification, Under District Verification, Approved, Rejected, Card Issued). This is the fastest route right after submission.

By Aadhaar number: on the national portal nfsa.gov.in, use the Know Your Ration Card tool. Enter your Aadhaar number and the captcha, and the system returns the ration card number and issuing state if one exists in the national NFSA database. Click through to epds.bihar.gov.in for the full state-level status.

By household head mobile number: on epds.bihar.gov.in, log in with the Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP, and the dashboard shows the household's card status, e-KYC compliance for every listed member, last three PDS transactions at the mapped FPS, and any pending grievances.

If none of the three pathways return a result, the application is either not yet keyed into the system by the block office (wait 7 to 10 days after submission), or the acknowledgment number was mistyped, or the Aadhaar is not yet linked in the district database. Retry after a week before treating a no-record response as concerning.

For files stuck beyond the 30-day NFSA statutory ceiling, file a formal grievance on the BPGRS portal or call 1800-345-6194 with the acknowledgment number.

How to download your Bihar e-ration card via epds.bihar.gov.in, Mera Ration 2.0 and DigiLocker

The Bihar e-ration card, issued under the department's digitisation drive that runs on top of the NFSA near-100 percent digitisation baseline, is accepted as a valid ration document at every FPS across the state and every ONORC-integrated FPS across India. Three download routes work.

Route 1, epds.bihar.gov.in: log into the portal with your Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP, go to Download Ration Card, select your district, enter your ration card number, and save the PDF. This is the department-issued PDF and is the legally binding version if any discrepancy arises with the other two routes.

Route 2, Mera Ration 2.0 app: download the app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Log in with your Aadhaar number and verify the OTP. Select My Ration Card from the main menu, tap Download to save the PDF or Share to send via WhatsApp. Mera Ration 2.0 also supports biometric-authenticated portable withdrawal at any of the 5.44 lakh ONORC-integrated FPS across India, family management (add or remove member requests), digital surrender, and 13 regional languages including Hindi, Maithili, Bhojpuri (in progress), and English.

Route 3, DigiLocker: log into digilocker.gov.in with Aadhaar-mobile OTP. Search for Ration Card in Issued Documents, select Bihar as the state, and pull the state-issued PDF. Bihar is partially onboarded to DigiLocker for ration cards, so this route works for cards issued or re-issued after July 2023 but may not work for older legacy cards. If DigiLocker returns no record, fall back to Route 1 or Route 2.

All three downloads are free. Ignore any third-party app, cyber cafe, or website charging money for e-ration card download.

The June-August 2026 clubbed distribution, and what to expect at your FPS

The Department of Food, Consumer Protection and Public Distribution announced that the monthly PDS quotas for June, July, and August 2026 will be released together in a single consolidated distribution window at every FPS across Bihar. The department released this decision in its May 2026 review meeting, per regional media coverage of the announcement.

The reason is flood-season supply logistics. Bihar's monsoon typically breaks in the second week of June and stresses road access to riverine districts through August. Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, and Supaul are the ten most flood-affected districts on the department's supply map. A single consolidated release lets the department pre-position the full three-month stock at every FPS in these districts before the roads become unreliable, and reduces the risk of a mid-monsoon supply gap that would cost the household its PMGKAY entitlement for the affected month.

What to expect at your FPS during the clubbed window. Every eligible household draws 15 kg of grain per person under PHH (5 kg for June, 5 kg for July, 5 kg for August), or 105 kg per household under AAY (35 kg for each of the three months), in a single visit. Aadhaar biometric authentication runs once for the combined draw, though the ePoS device may split the transaction receipt into three monthly entries for accounting.

Bring a larger cloth bag or two smaller bags to carry the consolidated quantum. If you cannot lift the full three-month draw in one visit, ask the FPS dealer to hold the balance for a second visit within 7 days. The department has instructed FPS dealers to allow split pickups within the same distribution window without a second biometric authentication.

If your FPS runs out of stock during the clubbed window or if the ePoS device is out of order for more than 3 days in a row, file a grievance on BPGRS or call 1800-345-6194. The department has committed to same-day escalation for clubbed-window supply gaps given the flood risk.

Add or remove a family member on the Bihar ration card

Post-issuance member additions and removals are the most common ration-card operation on the EPDS portal after monthly PDS draw. Both operations are free and complete within 15 to 30 days.

Add a new member (newborn, spouse after marriage, elderly parent joining the household, other dependent). Log into epds.bihar.gov.in with Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP. Go to Add Member. Enter the new member's Aadhaar number, date of birth, relationship to head of family, and gender. Upload the supporting document: birth certificate for a newborn (issued by the municipal corporation, nagar panchayat, or gram panchayat), marriage certificate for a spouse (issued by the sub-registrar or under a religious authority), or Aadhaar and self-declaration for a joining elderly parent. Submit the request.

The addition is verified by the block office within 15 to 30 days. Aadhaar e-KYC of the added member is triggered automatically, so the newly added member must visit any FPS within 30 days of approval to complete biometric authentication on the ePoS device. Once e-KYC is done, the household's monthly PDS quantum increases by the added member's share from the next distribution cycle.

Remove a member (death in the family, marriage-out of the household, permanent relocation to another state, or member reaching age 18 and moving to a separate household). Log into epds.bihar.gov.in, go to Remove Member, select the member's name from the household list, choose the reason (deceased, married out, migrated, split household), upload the supporting proof (death certificate, marriage certificate, self-declaration with new-address proof, or split-household declaration), and submit. Removal is processed within 15 to 30 days. The remaining household continues to draw the reduced per-person entitlement from the next cycle.

If a member has been deceased for more than 6 months and the death was not reported to the department, the household may receive a suspension notice from the ONORC deduplication engine that catches Aadhaar-death linkage. File the removal request immediately with a copy of the death certificate to avoid card suspension.

Correction, surrender and transfer on the Bihar portal

Four other post-issuance operations round out the EPDS module, and all four are free.

Name spelling or date-of-birth correction. Log into epds.bihar.gov.in, go to Correction, upload the corrected supporting document (Aadhaar for name spelling, birth certificate or matric marksheet for date of birth), and submit. Correction is validated within 3 to 7 days and reflects on the card at the next state portal refresh cycle.

Address change within Bihar. Log into the portal, go to Address Change, select the new district and block or ward, upload the new address proof (electricity bill, rent agreement, or municipal water bill in the head of family's name), and submit. The change is verified by the new block office within 15 to 30 days, and the household is re-mapped to the nearest FPS at the new address.

Surrender the ration card. Surrender is used when the entire household is moving permanently out of Bihar, or if the household's income has risen above the PHH ceiling on the state priority-scoring model, or if the household voluntarily wants to exit the PDS. Log into the portal, go to Surrender, submit the state-prescribed self-declaration, and the card is cancelled within 15 days. Surrender frees the beneficiary slot for a new applicant on the state PHH waitlist.

Transfer the ration card to another state. The formal route is to surrender the Bihar card and apply fresh in the new state. Practically, ONORC lets a migrant draw ration in any state without transferring the card, so if the move is temporary (work assignment, seasonal migration, extended family stay), keep the Bihar card active and draw at the ONORC-integrated FPS in the new state. Transfer through surrender is the correct route only for permanent relocation with full family.

All four operations are free through the state portal. Ignore any cyber cafe or private agent charging money.

Grievance and helplines, 1800-345-6194, 1967 and BPGRS online portal

The Department of Food, Consumer Protection and Public Distribution runs a multi-channel grievance mechanism, and NFSA Section 25 mandates a two-level redress system with the District Grievance Redressal Officer at the first level and the State Food Commission at the second level.

Department toll-free helpline: 1800-345-6194 (Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM). Use this for card status escalations beyond 30 days, FPS malpractice complaints, ePoS device downtime, e-KYC blockers, and clubbed-window supply gap issues.

All-India food and PDS helpline: 1967. This is the national NFSA helpline and works in Bihar. It is a good fallback if 1800-345-6194 is not reachable, or for questions about ONORC portability that touch multiple states.

BPGRS (Bihar Public Grievance Redressal System) portal: file an online grievance at the BPGRS portal, attach your acknowledgment number or ration card number, and select the Food and Civil Supplies category. Grievances filed on BPGRS carry a statutory 60-day response deadline under the Bihar Right to Public Services Act, and repeated non-response can be escalated to the State Public Grievance Redressal Commissioner.

Consumer Helpline for FPS malpractice: 1915 or consumerhelpline.gov.in. Use this if the FPS dealer is short-weighing the distribution, refusing to draw the full quantum, demanding cash payment for a free PMGKAY draw, or refusing to run e-KYC.

Escalation ladder for a stalled ration card application in Bihar. Step 1: file a grievance on BPGRS with the acknowledgment number, wait 15 days. Step 2: escalate to the Block Supply Officer at the block office with a copy of the BPGRS complaint, wait 15 days. Step 3: escalate to the District Supply Officer (DSO) at the district collectorate, wait 15 days. Step 4: escalate to the Bihar State Food Commission with all prior grievance copies, which has statutory power under NFSA Section 16 to direct the department to act. Step 5: file a Right to Information (RTI) application with the DSO asking for the status and the reason for the delay. The RTI response often unblocks the file within 30 days.

Related schemes for Bihar ration card holders, PMGKAY, ONORC, e-Shram, PM-JAY, PM-KISAN

The ration card in Bihar acts as an identity spine for several other central and state schemes. Cross-linking your card to the following programmes multiplies its value.

PMGKAY (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana): this is the free-grain layer sitting on top of NFSA. Every PHH member gets 5 kg per month at zero cost, and every AAY household gets 35 kg per month at zero cost, till 31 December 2028 per the Union Cabinet decision of 29 November 2023. No separate application is needed. If your ration card is active in Bihar, you draw PMGKAY automatically. See our PMGKAY guide for the full quantum, price, and fortified rice rollout.

ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card): portability layer that lets any Bihar ration card holder draw at any of the 5.44 lakh FPS across India using Aadhaar biometric on the ePoS. Especially useful for Bihar migrant workers in Delhi, Mumbai, Ludhiana, Surat, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. See our ration card 2026 hub for the ONORC 100 crore transactions milestone and the state-wise ONORC status.

e-Shram: national database of unorganised workers, and Bihar ration card holders in the informal sector (agriculture, construction, domestic work, street vending) should register at eshram.gov.in with their Aadhaar to receive the e-Shram Universal Account Number (UAN) card. The UAN links to future welfare payouts and to the ration card for cross-verification.

PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana): free health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year at any empanelled hospital. Bihar households eligible under the SECC 2011 database (which overlaps significantly with the state's PHH priority-scoring model) automatically qualify. Check eligibility at pmjay.gov.in with your Aadhaar or ration card number. See our PM-JAY guide for the empanelment list.

PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi): Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 to every eligible landholding farmer family, credited directly to the Aadhaar-seeded bank account. Bihar has one of the highest PM-KISAN beneficiary counts nationally. Ration card is not the primary eligibility document (land record is), but the ration card is often used to verify household composition during the state-level scrutiny. See our PM-KISAN guide.

Bihar-specific state schemes that use the ration card as an identity anchor include the state's kerosene distribution (in blocks that still receive PDS kerosene), the Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana verification (which cross-checks household composition), and the state pension schemes (which use the ration card for widow and elderly identification).

Frequently asked questions

How to apply for Bihar ration card online in 2026?

Apply on epds.bihar.gov.in. Register with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and verify OTP. Select your district, block, and gram panchayat or ward. Fill the household form with the Aadhaar of every listed member. Upload family group photograph, address proof, and the state-prescribed self-declaration of income. Select the card category (PHH, AAY, or Anna Yojana pink), submit, and save the acknowledgment number. Processing is capped at 30 days under NFSA Section 14. If stuck beyond 30 days, file a grievance on BPGRS or call 1800-345-6194.

What is the e-KYC deadline for Bihar ration card in 2026?

The Department of Food, Consumer Protection and Public Distribution set 31 March 2026 as the hard deadline for Aadhaar e-KYC of every listed member above age 5. 5.2 crore holders completed e-KYC by the deadline, but 1.65 crore holders are still pending as of the department's May 2026 review. Pending households face suspension risk on the next distribution cycle. Late e-KYC is accepted free of cost at any FPS with an ePoS device.

How to check Bihar ration card status on epds.bihar.gov.in?

On epds.bihar.gov.in, click RC Application Status on the home page, enter your acknowledgment number, and view the current stage (Received, Under Block Verification, Under District Verification, Approved, Rejected, Card Issued). Alternately, log in with your Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP and check the household dashboard for card status, e-KYC compliance, and last three transactions. For a no-record response, wait 7 to 10 days after submission before treating it as concerning.

How to download my Bihar e-ration card?

Three routes work. On epds.bihar.gov.in, log in with Aadhaar-mobile OTP, go to Download Ration Card, and save the PDF. On the Mera Ration 2.0 app, log in with Aadhaar OTP, select My Ration Card, and tap Download. On DigiLocker, log in and search Ration Card under Issued Documents (works for Bihar cards issued after July 2023). All three routes are free. Any charge by a cyber cafe or third party is unauthorised.

What documents are needed for a new Bihar ration card?

Aadhaar of every household member, one address proof (voter ID, electricity bill, rent agreement, or municipal water bill), family group photograph, and state-prescribed self-declaration of income. Bihar accepts self-declaration and does not require a tehsildar income certificate for standard PHH files. If applying under AAY, add the applicable criteria proof (widow certificate, disability certificate, senior citizen ID, or scheduled tribe certificate). Add bank account number and IFSC for DBT-linked schemes.

What happens if I missed the Bihar e-KYC deadline of 31 March 2026?

The card is flagged for suspension risk, and the ePoS at the FPS may block your monthly draw until every listed member above age 5 completes Aadhaar e-KYC. Late e-KYC is accepted free of cost. Take every pending member to your FPS with their original Aadhaar during working hours, ask the dealer to run fingerprint or iris or OTP e-KYC on the ePoS, and collect the acknowledgment slip. Reactivation reflects within 48 to 72 hours. If the FPS refuses, escalate to the Block Supply Officer or call 1800-345-6194.

How to add a new family member to my Bihar ration card?

Log into epds.bihar.gov.in with Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP, go to Add Member, enter the new member's Aadhaar number, date of birth, relationship to head of family, and gender. Upload the supporting document (birth certificate for a newborn, marriage certificate for a spouse, Aadhaar and self-declaration for a joining elderly parent). Submit. Addition is verified by the block office within 15 to 30 days, and the added member's e-KYC is triggered automatically. The household's PDS quantum increases from the next distribution cycle.

What is the Bihar ration card helpline number?

Two toll-free numbers work. The department's own helpline is 1800-345-6194, operating Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM. Use this for card status escalations, FPS malpractice, ePoS issues, and e-KYC blockers. The all-India food and PDS helpline 1967 also works in Bihar and is a good fallback. For online grievance filing, use the Bihar Public Grievance Redressal System (BPGRS) portal, which carries a 60-day statutory response deadline under the state's Right to Public Services Act.

What is the Anna Yojana pink card in Bihar?

Anna Yojana pink card is Bihar's state-level overlay on top of central NFSA classification. The state government rolled out the pink card to extend PDS coverage to households ranking just below the NFSA cutoff on the state priority-scoring model but flagged as vulnerable by the district administration. Pink card households draw a state-notified grain quantum funded partly by the state exchequer and partly through the NFSA channel. Issuance is demand-based through the block office and is not uniform across all Bihar districts.

Why was the June-August 2026 Bihar ration distribution clubbed together?

The Department of Food, Consumer Protection and Public Distribution clubbed the June, July, and August 2026 monthly quotas into a single consolidated distribution window because of flood-season supply logistics. Bihar's monsoon typically stresses road access to riverine districts (Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Supaul) from mid-June through August. A single release lets the department pre-position the full three-month stock at every FPS before roads become unreliable, and prevents mid-monsoon supply gaps that would otherwise cost the household its PMGKAY entitlement.

Primary sources

• Bihar EPDS portal: epds.bihar.gov.in (application, status, download, e-KYC, add or remove member, grievance)
• Department of Food, Consumer Protection and Public Distribution, Government of Bihar (state administrative authority for PDS)
• National Food Security Portal: nfsa.gov.in (Know Your Ration Card, ONORC status, state directory)
• Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: consumeraffairs.nic.in (NFSA framework, PMGKAY)
• Mera Ration 2.0 app (official Ministry app for ration card management, 13 regional languages, ONORC withdrawal)
• Union Cabinet decisions: PMGKAY extension till 31 December 2028 (29 November 2023, outlay Rs 11.80 lakh crore)
• Bihar Public Grievance Redressal System (BPGRS) portal: online grievance with 60-day statutory response under state Right to Public Services Act
• Consumer Helpline: 1915, consumerhelpline.gov.in (FPS malpractice complaints)
• Department toll-free: 1800-345-6194 (Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM)
• All-India food and PDS helpline: 1967