The Department of Food and Public Distribution and state governments have issued several important changes and guidelines for ration card holders across the country. The government's primary objective is to bring transparency to the Public Distribution System (PDS) and ensure that only genuine and eligible poor receive free/subsidized food grains by canceling fake/ineligible cards.

If you are also a ration card holder, then pay attention to these 4 big updates immediately:

1. Ration Card e-KYC is very important:
Biometric and Face Authentication: Aadhaar based e-KYC of every family member registered in the ration card has been made mandatory.

How to get e-KYC done?

Offline: Visit your nearest Fair Price Shop (FPS) and get biometric (fingerprint or iris) verification done at the e-PoS machine.

Online/Mobile: The e-KYC process can be completed from home by scanning your face using NIC apps 'Mera eKYC' / 'Mera Ration' and Aadhaar Face RD.

Disadvantages of not getting e-KYC done: The names of the members whose e-KYC remains pending may be temporarily removed from the ration card or the lifting of ration may be stopped.

2. 'Mission Sudhar' Campaign: Action against ineligible and fake cards:
Income limit and property verification: 'Mission Sudhar' and special verification campaigns are being run by the Central and State Governments.

Ration cards of these people will be cancelled:

Families earning more than the prescribed income limit.

Taxpayers, families owning a four-wheeler or a pucca 3-room house.

Names of beneficiaries who have been inactive, deceased, or transferred for a long time.

Recently, during verification, lakhs of ineligible cards have been cancelled in various states and new needy families have been added.

3. Facility of 'One Nation, One Ration Card' (ONORC):
Big relief to migrant laborers: A ration card holder of any state in the country can get his ration from any government ration shop located in any corner of the country.

If you live in another city or state for work, you do not need to go to your village for ration or e-KYC.

4. How to add a new member's name to the ration card?
Online/Offline Process: To add a new child's name, a birth certificate and Aadhaar card are required. To add a newly married woman's name, a marriage certificate and a deletion certificate from the father's ration card must be submitted.

You can easily update it through your state's PDS/e-District portal or Public Service Center (CSC).

Beware:
Fake news is being spread on social media, claiming a "₹9,000 special grant" for ration card holders or "free rations will be discontinued from November 1st," without any basis  . Ignore such rumors. For official information related to ration cards, rely only on the National Food Security Portal (nfsa.gov.in) or the official website of your state's food department.

PC: Prabhat khabar