Ludhiana, April 2 -- Punjab will start distributing QR-based plastic ration cards from Thursday to overcome gaps and glitches which delayed the release of ration to beneficiaries. There are around 1.5 crore beneficiaries covered under 39 lakh ration cards in Punjab. The government aim to achieve 80% coverage before May, when the wheat distribution cycle begins. The move is expected to bring relief to those beneficiaries with faded fingerprints, worn-out thumb patterns, families repeatedly failing e-KYC and households where biometric mismatch has delayed ration release. Unlike the earlier system, beneficiaries will now only need to carry the QR-based plastic ration card, eliminating the need to present additional documents such as Aadhaar cards or other identity proof at ration depots. The technology-driven reform push is aimed at making the public distribution system more transparent and efficient, said the officials aware of the matter. The statewide rollout is expected to cover all the beneficiary families, with the first 10 lakh QR-based plastic cards already printed and being allotted to depots in phases, officials said, adding that the remaining stock will continue to be supplied district-wise. While the target of 80% distribution is expected to be completed by the end of April or early in May, the remaining 20% will continue to be handed over alongside the foodgrain distribution process to ensure no family is left out. Food, civil supplies and consumer affairs director Varinder Kumar Sharma said the initiative has been designed to improve transparency and empower beneficiaries through a smarter verification mechanism. "Once beneficiaries receive the QR-based plastic ration card, they will not need to carry any other document to the depot. The system also enables portability, which means even if a beneficiary reaches a depot other than the one originally allotted, wheat can still be lifted there by simply showing the card," he said....