In this article, we shall take a comprehensive look at the free ration card scheme, its requirements and how to go about it.
nfsa.gov.in Ration Card – Equitable food distribution and rationing are the primary goals of every economy. The ration card, as the name suggests, is an identification card issued by the government to a family in the name of the head of the family for distribution of subsidised rations of food ingredients such as cereals, pulses, and legumes. Due to the rapid economic growth in the country since the globalisation in the ‘90s, a substantial part of the population had reduced their dependence on subsidised rations with their increased purchasing power. This blog discusses the procedure to Apply For a Ration Card in National Food Security Act Portal For Free in detail.
However, with the arrival of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the ration card came into prominence once more especially amongst the lower strata of our socio-economic structure who usually work on daily wages in unorganised sectors. Their work and income had come to a halt overnight and they had to depend on subsidised rations once more. Furthermore, the government even announced free rations for lower income groups. And the ration card became a key to these rations for those in need.
Applying for government identification cards such as the ratio card, has long since been associated with lengthy application forms, long waiting periods, and considerable amount of red tape. But since the digitisation of government processes, several advances have been made in this aspect. In this article, we shall discuss the procedure for the online application of ration cards and how to go about it.
Apply For Ration Card For Free: Ration Card Categories
nfsa.gov.in Ration Card – Before we get into the details of procedure and eligibility let us first understand the structure of the rationing system in India. Ration cards are divided into four categories. They are:
- APL Ration Card – APL stands for Above Poverty Line. This ration card is issued by the government for those citizens of the country who live above the poverty line but fall below the middle-class category.
- BPL Ration Card – BPL stands for Below Poverty Line. This card is issued to those people in the country who are living below the poverty line.
- AAY Ration Card – AAY stands for Antyodaya Anna Yojana. This ration card is issued to those people who are living in extreme poverty and are economically weaker than other class people.
- Annapurna Card – These ration cards are issued to those who are homeless and destitute and who do not have any source of income.
Let us now take a look at the various features of this scheme.
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, 2023, was introduced with the sole objective of providing for the basic rations of the already poor who were further impoverished by the pandemic and were left destitute. They were people who had no savings and were living on a hand-to-mouth subsistence. With the lockdown in place, they could not go out to seek any work and they had no savings to fall back upon. Those eligible under this scheme are entitled to 5 Kg of wheat and 1 Kg of pulses per month free of cost for three months. So the obvious question is, who is eligible under this scheme. Let’s take a look
nfsa.gov.in Ration Card: Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant has to be a resident of India.
- The applicant should meet all the necessary criteria that categorise a person as ‘Below Poverty Line’
- The applicant must be the head of the family
Let us now take a look at the documents necessary for the free ration card scheme
Documents Required For Application
The following is the list of documents one must have in hand while applying for the free ration card online:
- Aadhar Card
- PAN Card
- Passport Size photograph of the head of the family
- Income Certificate
- Gas Connection details
- Caste Certificate
- Bank Account Passbook
Additionally, the applicant also needs to furnish mobile number details so as to receive the OTP while applying for the application.
nfsa.gov.in Ration Card: Procedure For Applying For Ration Card
- First of all the applicant has to visit the official portal of food distribution of his state. Every state has its food distribution network that can be accessed through the online portal.
- On the home page you will find a link called ‘E-Coupon / Temporary Ration Card Application.’ You have to click on this option. After clicking on the option, the next page will open in front of you on the computer screen.
- On this page you have to enter the mobile number and click on the submit button. After submitting you will receive an OTP. Submit the same in the website to verify and once it is verified a form will open.
- Now the details to be submitted will differ from state to state depending on where you are located at the time of application. Some basic details are the name of the head of the family, age, Aadhaar number and number of members in the family.
- Afterwards, you need to submit the constituency and fill the complete address in it. Now after this you need to upload the Aadhaar card photo of the head of the family and photos of the family members.
- After submitting the details you will get a message from the authority on your registered mobile number which contains a link. Once you click on the link you can download the temporary ration card and present this temporary ration card to the nearest dealer to avail benefits of the scheme.
nfsa.gov.in Ration Card – Mera Ration App
The government has also launched a mobile application called ‘Mera Ration’, which contains all the details of the scheme. It contains the details of all the ration distribution centres in different states, the eligibility in those states and the procedure in the particular states. This is an excellent solution for the problems of migrant labourers who often have to move from state to state and the majority of them are eligible for the free ration scheme. This app saves them the trouble of running from pillar to post, filling out forms etc. All they need to do is to login and register with the app and they avail the benefits of the scheme irrespective of whichever state they are in. The procedure to download and register are as follows.
- First of all, you have to open Google Play Store or Apple App Store on your mobile phone.
- After this you have to enter ‘mera ration’ in the search bar.
- Click on the ‘mera option’ app that appears in the search results.
- Now you will be taken to the installation page. Install the App.
- Mera Ration app will be downloaded on your device.
- Once downloaded and installed, you have to open this app and enter the ration card number.
- As soon as you enter the ration card number, all the information related to your ration card will open in front of you.
The Mera Ration App can also be used for,
- Applying for a new card
- Applying for a duplicate card
- Changing details on the ration card
- Adding new members of the family to the ration card
Conclusion
Food guarantee and stability is the ultimate objective of every economy. Economic growth is a means to an end and not the end itself. The success of economic growth can only be truly measured when it is able to afford its citizens the basic requirements for sustenance, either through employment or through welfare schemes. The free ration card is a welfare scheme that had to be implemented during one of the most testing and trying times the world has ever seen.
nfsa.gov.in Ration Card (National Food Security Act) – On top of it, there is the issue of a massive population, mostly ruralised, and diverse in their language, culture and habits. To be able to achieve this massive feat before things got out of hand is truly commendable. If you have any other queries regarding legal or regulatory matters such as these, get in touch with us and we will ensure that your query is resolved by our team of dedicated experts.
