KOZHIKODE: The long queue in front of the taluk supply offices to get ration cards will soon become a thing of the past. The Department of Food and Civil Supplies is in the process to introduce online submission of ration card application forms through the network of Akshaya e-Kendras of the State IT Mission.
The department has introduced the online submission of ration card application forms on an experimental basis at Thiruvananthapuram city rationing office (north) last month. The system will be expanded to other regions soon. With the introduction of online submission of application forms, the denizens can submit the applications for ration card online through the nearby Akshaya e-Kendras.
The public can make use of all the available services provided by the taluk supply office related to ration card including applying for new ration card, addition of members in ration card, surrender/reduction/non-inclusion and non-renewal certificate, change of address and correction of details in ration card. The people can make use of the facility through more than 2,000 Akshaya e-Kendras in the 14 districts in the state. The Kerala chapter of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) had developed the software for the new system to be introduced across the state.
The Akshaya e-Kendras in the state has been providing various utility services to the public including e-payment of electricity bills, Railway reservation, BSNL land phone bills, university fees, water charges and BSNL cellphone bills.
Speaking to Express, K S Ramesh, manager service delivery, Akshaya State Project Office, said that ‘the submission of online application of ration card, presently implemented in Thiruvananthapuram district, would be introduced in the entire state within a month.
The Akshaya entrepreneur will charge `25 from each person who approaches them for online submission of ration card application. The Akshaya entrepreneur will submit the ration card application to the respective taluk supply officer or assistant taluk supply officer empowered to issue ration cards and to make available the food grains for distribution through FPS (Fair Price Shops). He further said around 18 services of RTO, local bodies and revenue will be introduced through the Akshaya e-Kendras in the long run.