How To Link Your Aadhaar Card And Ration Card

24 May 2023

706 4 mins read

Ration supply in Pune will cease for beneficiaries if they do not link their ration cards with Aadhaar from 1st February, those wondering why they can't access their ration offices. According to a press release issued by the Pune Food Grains Distribution Officer, all beneficiaries of the National Food Security Scheme and Antyodaya Food Scheme must link their ration cards with Aadhaar by 31st January, 2021.

Linking Aadhaar to PAN by 30th June 2023 will result in PAN becoming inoperative on 1st July 2023.

The introduction of the Aadhaar Card was a seminal step in Indian history as it aimed to become the most vital ID proof in the country. In the years since its launch, the government has tried vehemently to improve its utility by making it a necessity for various processes. Know more about How to Link Your Aadhaar Card And Ration Card.

Furthermore, to bring some standardization and unity to the system, the government has also asked for the linking of Aadhaar with various other ID proofs. The latest in the line of such link-ups is the suggestion of the Aadhaar linking to the Ration Card online. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the Aadhaar Card and Ration Card linking process.

Table of Contents

What is the Ration Card?

Ration cards are one of the oldest ID and Address proofs issued by the Indian government. Essentially, this document helps individuals and households to receive food items at subsidized prices. Furthermore, there are various categories of Ration Cards, and a few of them allow their holders to receive extra food and other things. However, the Ration Cards for higher-income households will receive the same items at a lower subsidy rate. In comparison, lower-income families get the benefit of a higher subsidy rate.

Why Should We Link Aadhaar To Ration Card?

Fraud and mismanagement were the main reasons for linking Aadhaar to Ration Cards. Individual households have fraudulent ration cards, and even multiple ration cards, gaining access to more resources. Illegal practices and fraud result in some people receiving more benefits while others lose out. Through online or offline methods, the government has asked the public to link Aadhaar to Ration Cards. By doing so, the government can monitor and ensure that each household has only one valid Ration Card. Here’s how to link Aadhaar to Ration Cards online and offline.

Ration Card Utility

Since the various State Governments issue the Ration Card, it also acts as proof of nationality, Identity, and address. Furthermore, it is a document that helps indicate the economic class of your household. Since the ration card is not a mandatory document that every home in India needs to have, the process of card linking is also not compulsory. However, the government encourages everyone that has a Ration Cad to link it to their Aadhaar Card to prevent and curtail corruption.

Ration Cards Are Divided According to the Earning Capacity of Households

Priority Ration Card – Allotted to those households that fall within the set beneficiary criteria of a State. Such ration cardholders receive 5 kilograms worth of food grains per member.
Antyodaya (AAY) – Allotted to the poorest section of society, wherein every household with such a card receives a minimum of 35 kg worth of food grains.

Link Aadhaar to Ration Card Online

To link the Aadhaar online, here’s what you need to do;

Go to the official Aadhaar linking website.
From the homepage, click on the Start Now button.
Enter details regarding your location, including State and District names.
From the drop-down menu, choose the Ration Card option.
From the list of schemes, choose a Ration Card.
Next, enter your Aadhaar and ration number, along with your mobile number and Email ID.
You will now receive an OTP on your registered mobile number.
Enter this OTP onto the screen and click on Submit.
You will now get a success message saying that the linking has been completed.

Link Aadhaar to Ration Card Offline

In case you want the Aadhaar linking process to be done offline, here’s what you need to do;

Carry copies of all the documents you require for the Aadhaar linking, which we will soon list out.
Meet an official there, and tell them about what you want to do.
An officer will roughly verify all your documents, and tell you if you need anything more.
Once the documents have reached the concerned department, you will receive an SMS message.
Likewise, once the process of verification is complete, and you the Aadhaar linking is done, you will receive another success message.

Documents Required for Aadhar Linking to Ration Card

Head of the family’s Passport size photograph
Copies of the Aadhaar of every family member
Copy of Ration card
Original Ration Card
If you have not linked your bank account and Aadhaar, then your Bank Passbook

Why Link your Aadhaar To Your Ration Card?

Eliminate all possibility of some people having multiple ration cards
Helps in checking and preventing fraudulent and illegal activities
After checking, all ration cards issued under false names can be rejected and cancelled
The Biometric-enabled system will help the government identify and process benefits for genuine individuals.
Streamlines the process of handing out bonuses to those who deserve it.
Makes the entire system more credible and transparent.
All diversions and stealing of PDS ration can be put to a stop.
Linking to the Aadhaar creates an audit trail for the PDS ration officers, helping track activities.
Helps in preventing corrupt intermediaries and officers from stealing from the rations.
Adds an extra layer of security and efficiency to the framework.