The central government is targeting to launch “One Nation One Ration Card” scheme in one year, it announced on Thursday. The card will help in accessing the Public Distribution System from any PDS shop across India and will especially benefit the migrant workers who switch states seeking better work opportunities. “The target is to complete the formalities of the scheme in one year. The availability of PoS (Point of Sale) machines need to be ensured at all PDS shops to implement the scheme,” Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan told The Indian Express. Currently, over 75% of Fair Price Shops have been equipped with electronic PoS devices, he added.
Aimed at curtailing corruption and reducing the dependence of beneficiaries on one shop owner, the scheme will provide freedom to beneficiaries, Ram Vilas Paswan told the national daily. He added that the PoS machines are available across states such as Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and a few others, however, 100% availability will be needed to benefit the whole country. The work done by the Department of Food and Public Distribution benefits over 81 crore people and 612 lakh tonnes of food grain goes for distribution every year, said Ram Vilas Paswan. The food grain is stored in the warehouses of FCI, CWC, SWCs and private godowns.
Currently, the Integrated Management of PDS, under which beneficiaries can avail food grain from any district, is operational in several states such as Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura, according to the statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. In the Thursday meeting, other states assured that will also implement the IMPDS soon.
The meeting was held with food secretaries and other officials of state governments, Food Corporation of India (FCI), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs).
