VARANASI: Free wheat and rice distribution for November began at fair price shops on Friday, November 6, 2026, with eligible households in Varanasi able to collect their allocation until November 30. The district supply office's instructions, reported from Chaubepur, cover Antyodaya and priority household ration card holders. Residents should check their card category and visit during the announced morning or afternoon distribution session.

The daily collection windows are 8 am to noon and 2 pm to 6 pm IST. For households planning a visit around the festival, the practical step is to carry their ration card details and establish which allocation applies before joining the queue. The announcement concerns November's entitlement at government fair price shops.

There is also a specific arrangement for beneficiaries whose fingerprint cannot be authenticated on the shop's electronic point of sale machine. District supply officer Krishna Vallabh Singh said they can collect through mobile OTP verification on November 30, the final distribution date. Someone facing this problem should ask the dealer about that arrangement when authentication fails.

Check the quantity against the card category

Antyodaya households are entitled to 35 kg per card for the month, comprising 10 kg of wheat and 25 kg of rice, according to the district instructions confirmed in two local reports. The allocation is free. The household total should be checked against the card category, because a per-card allocation and a per-person allocation are calculated differently.

Priority household cards, also described as eligible household or Patra Grihasthi cards, are included in the announcement. A family should check the allocation recorded against its own card before collecting grain. If a dealer gives a quantity that appears inconsistent with the record, residents can note the amount supplied and ask the supply department to check the transaction. Keep the card category and family-unit information available when making that enquiry.

  • Distribution period: November 6 to November 30, 2026.
  • Morning session: 8 am to noon IST.
  • Afternoon session: 2 pm to 6 pm IST.
  • Antyodaya: 35 kg per card, free.
  • Fingerprint failure: mobile OTP arrangement on November 30.

What residents should do

The Uttar Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Department website links to the ration card eligibility list, card search and application status services. Residents who are unsure about their recorded details can use those official links before visiting the dealer. The eligibility-list page reviewed for this report carried a status timestamp of November 7, 2026, at 9 pm IST.

That eligibility page also says ration card updating is in progress. A household checking its entry should therefore retain the card details it used and the date of the check. If the listed information appears wrong, describe the particular mismatch when seeking help, such as the card category or the recorded family units, instead of assuming the November distribution announcement has changed the household record.

The department's website separately provides forms concerning unit transfer, card transfer, surrender, unit cancellation and change of the head of household after a death. These are administrative services for maintaining the record. Residents needing a correction can identify the relevant service on the official site and ask the supply office which procedure applies to their case.

Where to raise a distribution problem

The department lists 1967 and 14445 as public distribution helplines, along with the toll free number 1800 1800 150. Its homepage also links to online complaints and lists grievance officers at district, tehsil and block levels. When reporting a problem, give the fair price shop location, ration card details, visit date and the quantity received or refused. These details help distinguish a stock issue from an authentication or record problem.

The national food security portal's Uttar Pradesh page identifies the state food department and links to its grievance system. Its ration card directory also directs users to Uttar Pradesh's eligibility portal. Starting from those government directories helps residents find the relevant service without relying on an unofficial search result.

The national portal explains that fair price shop supervision, identification of eligible families and ration card issue fall within state responsibilities. For a local distribution problem, that makes the supply department's complaint channels the relevant starting point. Residents can ask for the matter to be directed to the officer responsible for the particular shop or block.

For other district service updates, readers can consult the separate reports on Everyday Prices Climb Across Varanasi Markets Ahead Of Festive Demand, the Food allergy vs intolerance: the difference and limits of home tests and Local Produce Keeps Varanasi Vegetable Prices Steady Through Monsoon. Each has its own eligibility and timetable.