VIJAYAWADA: Central government’s initiative ‘one nation, one ration card’ was launched on Thursday on a pilot basis in the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra. With this, the inter-State ration card portability work has been taken up, in which one can get their ration cards easily ported if those are linked to their Aadhaar cards.
Speaking to TNIE, Commissioner of Civil Supplies department Kona Sasidhar said, “People needn’t worry about portability of their ration cards. The intra-State portability was already active, in which people from any district could avail their ration from any other district. Similarly, the inter-State portability is also taking off, which would benefit more number of people.”
On pilot basis, one area in Hyderabad and one in Vijayawada were tested for portability service, as the Public Distribution System (PDS) is available online. “All queries related to ration cards will be solved within 72 hours from October 2, including splitting of cards and fresh issuance. Through the Spandana programme one can also see why their cards were rejected,” Sasidhar added.
The intra-State portability has been going at a good pace since a long time, with 32 lakh users having availed ration in the month of only July.
Currently, people with National Food Security Act (NTSA) ration cards are able to enjoy portability service and people with ration cards given by the State government are yet to be taken under inter-state portability envelope.
Under the scheme, families, who have ration cards, will be able to buy rice and other food items at a subsidised price from any ration shop in any State. For example, a person, who shifted from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh, can avail ration from any shop in AP, without transferring the card or applying for a new one.
Avail ration from any store in any State
Under the ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme, families who have ration cards will be able to buy rice and other food items at a subsidised price from any ration shop in any State. For example, a person, who shifted from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh, can avail ration from any ration shop in Andhra Pradesh, without transferring the ration card or applying for a new one