What is a Ration Card and Why is it Needed?
A
Ration Card is a document issued under an order or authority of the
State Government, as per the Public Distribution System, for the
purchase of essential commodities from fair price shops. State
Governments issue distinctive Ration Cards to Above Poverty Line, Below
Poverty Line and Antyodaya families and conduct periodical review and
checking of Ration Cards.
A
Ration Card is a very useful document for Indian citizens. It helps
save money by aiding in the procurement of essential commodities at a
subsidised rate. It has also become an important tool of identification
now-a-days. You may need to produce a copy of your Ration Card as proof
of identification when applying for other documents like Domicile
Certificate, for inclusion of your name in the Electoral Rolls, etc.
Families
living below the poverty line are entitled to Blue Cards, under which
they can avail special subsidies. In addition to permanent Ration Cards,
States also issue temporary Ration Cards, which are valid for a
specified number of months, and are issued for relief purposes.
What you need to do to obtain a Ration Card
You
may obtain the application form for making a new Consumer (Ration) Card
from any Circle Office. You will require passport-sized photographs of
the head of your family attested by a gazetted officer/MLA/MP/Municipal
Councillor, the specified proof(s) of residence, and the
Surrender/Deletion Certificate of the previous Ration Card, if there was
any.
In
case you are not able to provide any proof of residence, the Circle FSO
conducts spot inquiries by recording the statements of two independent
witnesses in your neighbourhood. The standard prescribed time schedule
for the preparation of a Ration Card is generally 15 days. However, the
procedure and time limit may vary from State to State.
There is also a provision for making amendments to valid Ration Cards.
Ration cards are basically of two types:
- White Cards (D Cards)
- Pink Cards (ABC Cards)
New Cards
New cards are issued by the MRO after obtaining sanction from the District Collector and conducting enquiry about the applicant. The Master Register (Key Register) contains details of the card holders that are assigned to a particular dealer. This register is maintained dealer-wise. This contains details about the cardholders such as Sl. No., Card No., cardholder's name, door no., occupation, annual income, no. of family members (no. of adults, no. of children and total).
Besides the issue of new cards, the MRO issues ration cards to families who come on transfer to the Mandal, after verifying the surrendered certificates submitted by them. He also handles cases of a change of the ration shop due to a change of address of the cardholder and corresponding changes are carried out in the registers. Cancellation of ration cards and checking of FP shops in case of complaints against them are also looked after by the MRO.
Main Site Go
