Kerala approves more than 73,000 new priority ration cards under the state’s public distribution system, the civil supplies department says. The Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Anoop Jacob, announces that all newly approved priority ration card holders will begin receiving free rations from August 3. The Times of India reports that the Kerala civil supplies department approves 73,024 new priority ration cards, while The Hindu says the figure is over 73,000. Both accounts describe the approval of new cards and link the start of benefits to a specific date in August. The sources do not provide additional details on the eligibility criteria for priority ration cards, the type or quantity of rations to be delivered, or the funding mechanism for the free ration scheme. The information is presented as an administrative update, with the main points being the number of newly approved cards and the commencement date for delivering free rations to those card holders.