Benefits of One Nation One Ration Card
- The previous ration card system did not allow beneficiaries to purchase subsidized food grains from FPSs outside their designated area. However, with the introduction of the One Nation One Ration Card scheme, eligible beneficiaries can now access their food entitlements from any FPS across India, regardless of their location. This has enabled greater mobility and convenience for ration cardholders, particularly for migrant workers and their families.
- If a beneficiary moved for work, they were unable to receive subsidized food grains from FPS in their new location.
- The new system removes the requirement to obtain food grains from only the assigned FPS.
- NFSA beneficiaries and ration cardholders can now purchase subsidized food grains from any FPS in the country.
- The system also allows family members back home to claim the balance of food grains on the same ration card.
- Migrant workers can claim their ration from their current location, while family members in their native place can claim the rest of the ration.
- The One Nation One Ration Card allows seamless access to food grains for all NFSA beneficiaries and ration cardholders, including migrant workers, through an existing ration card with biometric or Aadhaar authentication.
One Nation One Ration Card Scheme
The One Nation One Ration Card scheme has been implemented in all 36 States/UTs in India, enabling eligible beneficiaries covered by the National Food Security Act to purchase subsidized food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across India. The program, which provides rice, wheat, and coarse grains at rates of Rs. 3 per kg, Rs. 2 per kg, and Rs. 1 per kg, respectively, has been made portable throughout the country, and a mobile application called ‘MERA RATION’ has been launched to provide real-time information to beneficiaries in multiple languages. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the ONORC program has been instrumental in ensuring that NFSA beneficiaries, especially migrant workers, have access to subsidized food grains.