Hello People!
In today’s article, we will discuss the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme. We will be covering all the major points of this scheme to make you understand what the scheme entails. So let’s start by understanding why it is in the news recently.
Why In News
Recently, the Supreme Court has directed all states and UTs to implement the One Nation, One Ration Card system(Check Here) by 31st July 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic has the worst hit the marginalized strata of the society like migrant workers. Migrant workers have again faced distress due to curfews and lockdowns during the second wave of COVID-19. Seeing this, SC directed the Centre and state to ensure food security, cash transfers and other welfare measures for migrant workers. The directions were issued in response to a PIL on the plight of migrant workers and a plea by NGO Bandhua Mukti Morcha.
Since now you might have understood the context, let’s move on to understand what this scheme is all about.
What is the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) Scheme?
The ONORC Scheme was launched in August 2019 by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Its aim is to enable the migrant workers to buy subsidized ration from any fair price shop in the country. Its implementation will ensure the availability of ration to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The major features of the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme are:
- Existing ration cards will be turned into One Nation One Ration Cards. It will be a universal ration card allotted to each beneficiary registered under NFSA.
- Under this Scheme, Beneficiaries can buy subsidized food grains from any fair price shop regardless of their place of origin.
- Beneficiaries will be identified through biometric authentication on electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices. These devices will be installed at each fair price shop.
- Aadhar Cards will be seeded with ration cards which will help beneficiaries get the ration using the same ration card.
- 65 crores beneficiaries are being covered under the ONORC scheme. 80 percent of beneficiaries registered under NFSA have been covered under the scheme.
Eligibility under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)
- Any citizen, who is declared under Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, will be eligible to get the benefit of this scheme across the country.
- The directions under Section-38 of the NFSA have been issued to all States/UTs to cover all eligible disabled persons under the NFSA.
- All States/UTs have been advised to identify needy persons from the weaker sections of the society including disabled persons. After their identification, issue NFSA ration cards to all eligible persons/households.
- The beneficiaries will be identified on the basis of their Aadhaar through the electronic point of sale (PoS) device.
How does One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) work?
- ONORC is based on technology that involves details of beneficiaries’ ration card, Aadhaar number, and electronic Points of Sale (ePoS).
- The system identifies a beneficiary through biometric authentication on ePoS devices at fair price shops.
- The system runs with the support of two portals:
- Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)
- Annavitran
- When a ration cardholder goes to a fair price shop, he/she identifies himself/herself through biometric authentication on ePoS. Then it is matched real-time with details on the Annavitaran portal.
- Once the ration card details are verified, the dealer hands out the beneficiary’s entitlements.
- The Annavitaran portal maintains a record of intra-state transactions — inter-district and intra-district. Whereas the IM-PDS portal records the inter-state transactions.
So we have looked at what this scheme is all about and how it works. Now let’s move to the Benefits of the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme.
Benefits of the ‘One Nation One Ration’ Card
- Through this, the beneficiaries from one state can get their share of rations in other states.
- ONORC seeks to provide universal access to PDS food grains for migrant workers.
- ONORC will also give the beneficiaries the opportunity to opt for the dealer of their choice. In case of any foul play, a beneficiary can switch to an alternative FPS almost immediately.
- The scheme will be beneficial for women and other disadvantaged groups. As social identity (caste, class and gender) and other factors pose hindrances in accessing PDS.
- The ONORC will help in achieving the SDG 2 target of eliminating hunger by 2030.
- It is also aimed at reducing the incidents of hunger deaths in the country, to improve rankings in the Global Hunger Index.
Challenges Associated with the Implementation of ONORC Scheme
- Lack of Data: There is a lack of data on the population moving to other cities to work. As such it becomes a difficult task in identifying the beneficiaries as they move to different locations.
- Chances of Exclusion: As the ONORC is Aadhar linked there are chances of exclusion of people living in remote areas especially scheduled tribes. There are many sections of society who still don’t have Aadhar Cards, thereby depriving them of food security.
- Logistical Challenge: There is a quota allocated to every state for the purchase of food grains from FCI. Constant migration may disturb that procurement pattern. Apart from this, Internet penetration is still less in India for the smooth functioning of ONORC.
- Domicile-Based Social Sector Schemes: Not only PDS, most of the anti-poverty, rural welfare and food security schemes were historically based on domicile-based access. This restricted people to access government social security, welfare and food entitlements at their place of origin.
So these were all the major points related to the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme. Before ending the blog, let’s also look at the National Food Security Act (NFSA) briefly.
National Food Security Act (NFSA)
- The National Food Security Act, 2013 converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of the Government of India.
- It gives legal entitlement to 67% of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to receive highly subsidized foodgrains.
- It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System.
- The Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is the nodal ministry for implementing this Act.
With this, we come to the end of today’s blog on the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ Scheme. We hope you find this blog interesting and informative.
For more such detailed articles, stay tuned!
