The National Food Security Act (NFSA) provides maximum coverage for about 81.35 crore persons. At present, about 79.77 crore people are given food grains under this Act on highly subsidized basis. Accordingly, 1.58 crore more beneficiaries can be added.
New Delhi. The central government on Friday launched a common registration facility for issuance of ration cards in 11 states and union territories. The purpose of this registration is to enable homeless people, destitute, migrants and other eligible beneficiaries to apply for ration card.
The National Food Security Act (NFSA) provides maximum coverage for about 81.35 crore persons. At present, about 79.77 crore people are given food grains under this Act on highly subsidized basis. Accordingly, 1.58 crore more beneficiaries can be added.
My Ration-My Right
Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said that the objective of ‘Common Registration Facility’ (My Ration-My Right) is to quickly identify the eligible beneficiaries in the states and union territories. Also, to help such people in issuing ration cards, so that they can take advantage of eligibility under NFSA.
About 4.7 crore ration cards were cancelled,
He said, adding that in the last seven to eight years, about 4.7 crore ration cards belonging to an estimated 18 to 19 crore beneficiaries have been canceled due to various reasons. New cards are also issued by the States and Union Territories to the eligible beneficiaries on a regular basis.
The scheme will be implemented in all the states by the end of the month
The Secretary said that initially the new web-based facility would be available on a pilot basis in 11 states and union territories. By the end of this month, all 36 states and union territories will be started. According to the secretary, these 11 states and union territories include Assam, Goa, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Punjab and Uttarakhand.
Subsidized food grains
Responding to a question, Pandey said that the responsibility of a ration card friend can be performed by any digital savvy person, who can fulfill it as a social responsibility. Mera Ration-Mera Adhikar has been launched after the success of the ‘One Nation-One Ration Card’ project. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 67 percent of the country’s population is provided food grains at a subsidized rate.
