One nation-one ration card scheme can be started across the country by March: Food Ministry

New Delhi The ‘one country-one ration card’ can be implemented across the country by March next year. The Center on Wednesday said that the implementation of the ‘one country-one ration card’ scheme is one of its top priorities and efforts are being made to implement the facility across the country by March next year. The Food Ministry said in a statement, ‘One country-one ration card’ (One Nation One Ration Card) scheme, all eligible ration card holders or beneficiaries falling under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can get their ration in any part of the country Will give an option to receive.

Under the NFSA, the Center gives 5 kg of food grains per month to each person, which is available at a highly discounted price of Rs 2-3 per kg to around 80 crore beneficiaries. All states and union territories have shown willingness to implement national portability under one-nation-one ration card scheme and almost all have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Food. 

At present, the scheme has been implemented in 24 states and union territories from August 1, 2020, which includes about 65 crore beneficiaries, which is about 80 percent of the NFSA population. These include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar States and Union Territories such as State, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Uttarakhand are included. 

Prior to March 2021, concerted and regular efforts are being made to implement the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ facility in the remaining 12 states / Union Territories.

Source: www.jagran.com