One Nation One Ration Card

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution rolled out a pilot scheme titled, One Nation One Ration Card Scheme in four states on a pilot basis in 2019. 12 states were added on 1st January 2020. It was reported by the Central Government that about 86% beneficiaries under the NFSA were brought under the One Nation One Ration Card plan.

The ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ is a tech-driven system that allows labourers, daily wagers, urban poor, street dwellers, temporary workers in organised and unorganised sectors, domestic workers, etc. to get their daily quota of food grains from any electronic point of sale (e-PoS) of their choice.

The aim of the scheme is to ensure hassle-free delivery of subsidized food grains to all migratory beneficiaries anywhere in the country through nation-wide portability under National Food Security Act (NFSA.)

It is a national ration card that will enable migrant workers and their families to access the public distribution system (PDS) benefits from any fair price shops across the country.

The characteristics of the ONORC are:

1.Existing ration cards will be turned as one nation one ration card.

2.It will be a universal ration card allotted to each beneficiary registered under NFSA.

3.Using the ONORC, a beneficiary who migrates from one place to another can buy subsidized food grains from the fair price shop located in the destination city regardless of the origin of the beneficiaries.

4.The beneficiaries will be identified through biometric authentication on electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices. These devices will be installed at each fair price shop.

5.The national portability will work using the:

• Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) portal – It will provide the technological platform for the ration cards portability.
• Annavitran portal – It will host the data of the food grains distribution through ePoS devices within a state. This will help a beneficiary to access subsidized food grains within a state (inter-district). 

6.Aadhar Cards will be seeded with ration cards which will help beneficiaries get the ration using the same ration card.

Salient Features of One Nation One Ration Card Scheme:

1.It is being implemented under the Integrated Management of PDS (IMPDS).

2.65 crores beneficiaries are being covered under the ONORC scheme.

3.80 percent of beneficiaries registered under NFSA has been covered under the scheme.

4.25 states and UTs have been integrated into the scheme.

5.81 crores beneficiaries are reported to get the benefits of this scheme once all states/UTs will be integrated under the scheme.

6.The government will come up with a helpline number to assist beneficiaries.

Beneficiary:

It will provide food security to jobless migrants.

Benefits:

Ration cardholders can avail their entitlement of subsidised food grains.