New Delhi, July 4 (newsin.asia): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system will be a reality soon.
“We are all set to launch the ‘One Nation, One Ration card’ in the country for which government is working actively. This will help those poor countrymen who migrate to other places in search of employment or for other needs,” Prime Minister said during his address to the nation.
‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system will enable migrant workers and their family members to avail food grains from any fair price shop in the country. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier announced the national rollout of a ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system in all states and Union Territories by March 2021.
Under ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system, a standard format for ration card has been prepared. The state governments have been asked to issue the ration card in bi-lingual format. The details of ration cardholders will be mentioned in the local language and as well as in English or Hindi.
The states have also been asked to use a 10-digit standard ration card number — first two digits will be state code and the next two digits will denote the ration card numbers.
At present, a ration cardholder can buy food grains only from an ration shop that has been assigned to her in the locality in which he or she lives. Under, ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system, the eligible beneficiaries will be able to buy subsidised food grains, rice at ₹3 per kg, wheat at ₹2 per kg, and coarse grains at Re 1 per kg, from anywhere in the country.
Till now about 17 states have come on board to implement the inter-state ration card portability. “About 60 crore beneficiaries from 17 states and UTs can benefit from the ration card portability and they can purchase the subsidised food grains using the existing ration cards,” an official statement said.
These states that have been integrated under ‘One Nation, One Ration card’ system are — Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Jharkhand and Tripura. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Daman and Diu.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced that the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) will be extended till November. Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was rolled out to provide relief to the poor and vulnerable amid the COVID-19.
