VIJAYAWADA: The State government has launched the distribution of smart ration cards to nearly 4.42 crore beneficiaries across the State in a festive atmosphere. Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar formally distributed the new ration cards at programmes held in Vijayawada and Penamalur on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the government aims to complete the distribution of smart ration cards by September 15, ensuring that every eligible household gets it.
“These smart ration cards are not just replacements, but are designed to ensure complete transparency in the Public Distribution System. By scanning the QR code on the card, the government can instantly track when the beneficiary has collected his monthly ration,” the Civil Supplies Minister explained.
The smart cards allow beneficiaries to collect essential commodities such as dal, palm oil and wheat from any of the 29,000 fair price shops across the State. For this, Point of Sale (PoS) machines have been upgraded to ensure smooth transactions.
Beneficiaries requiring corrections or additions to their ration cards can approach local village or ward secretariat, where staff will verify details and make necessary corrections. For clarifications pertaining to smart ration cards, people can contact the toll-free helpline 1967, he said.
The Civil Supplies Minister revealed that it has been proposed to set up sub-ration depots in hilly and remote areas for the convenience of PDS beneficiaries.
Smart cards to be distributed in 4 phases
The sub-ration depots will be set up after getting the clearance of CM, he added.
The first phase of smart cards distribution covers nine districts, including S’kulam, V’nagaram, Vizag, EG, WG, Krishna, NTR, Nellore and Tirupati. A total of 53.4 lakh households will get the cards.
The second phase will begin in Chittoor, Guntur, Eluru and Kakinada on August 30. The third phase will be taken up in Anantapur, BR Ambedkar Konaseema, Anakapalli, ASR and Parvathipuram Manyam districts on Sept 6. The final phase from Sept 15 will cover eight districts, including Bapatla, Palnadu, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya, Sri Sathya Sai, Kurnool, Nandyal and Prakasam, accounting for nearly 47.7 lakh cards.