Ration Card

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What is a Ration Card?

A Ration Card is a document which is issued and approved by state governments for its residents. One of the main functions of the ration card is that it allows Indian families that are a part of the economically underprivileged sections of the Indian society to purchase the goods which are necessary for human survival at subsidised rates. The kind of products that a Ration cardholder can purchase at discounted prices with the help of the document are such as food items, kerosene, grains, pulses and dairy products, amongst others.

Historically, Ration Cards have proven to be very helpful to the individuals who have had a difficult time purchasing the kind of products mentioned above at grocery store rates. Typically, people who fall under the below poverty line (BPL) have been observed to be the ones who make use of a Rashan Card frequently. In addition to the same, a Ration Card also performs the function of proof of identity and address. It is also one of the many documents that an individual can furnish at the time of applying for other forms of identification issued by the government.

What are the Types of Ration (Rashan) Cards

There are four types of ration cards recognized by the government of India. These categories are decided based on total household income.

White Ration Card: An individual who is above the poverty line as per the government’s definition is issued a white Ration Card. The colour white is indicative of the Indian socio-economic group that the holder belongs to.
Orange Ration Cards: Orange Ration Cards are issued to those people who are living just right below the poverty line. Orange Ration Cards allow the people of this particular socio-economic group to purchase food and grains at highly subsidised rates, which are revised by the state governments on a timely basis.
Yellow Ration Cards: People who earn a yearly income that is less than the remuneration received by an Orange Card Holder are issued Yellow Ration Cards. Yellow Ration Card holders typically belong to the most economically unfortunate groups. In addition to this, they are a top priority for the government in terms of the provision of food and groceries. People who hold a Yellow Ration Card tend to take up jobs which are unstable or seasonal in nature, which could also cause them to either be occasionally unemployed, homeless or both at the same time.

Maharashtra	https://rcms.mahafood.gov.in/
Karnataka	https://ahara.kar.nic.in
Andhra Pradesh	https://ap.meeseva.gov.in
Kerala	http://ecitizen.civilsupplieskerala.gov.in
West Bengal	https://wbpds.gov.in
Arunachal Pradesh	http://www.arunfcs.gov.in
Bihar	http://sfc.bihar.gov.in
Chhattisgarh	https://khadya.cg.nic.in
Delhi	https://edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in
Gujarat	https://www.digitalgujarat.gov.in
Haryana	http://saralharyana.gov.in
Himachal Pradesh	http://admis.hp.nic.in
Jharkhand	https://pds.jharkhand.gov.in
Uttar Pradesh	https://fcs.up.gov.in
Punjab	http://punjab.gov.in
Mizoram	https://fcsca.mizoram.gov.in
Telangana	https://epds.telangana.gov.in/
Tamil Nadu	http://www.tncsc.tn.gov.in/
Madhya Pradesh	https://rationmitra.nic.in/
Manipur	https://pdsmanipur.nic.in/
Goa	https://nfsa.gov.in/State/GA
Meghalaya	https://megfcsca.gov.in/
Nagaland	https://nfsa.gov.in/State/NL
Sikkim	https://sikkim.gov.in/
Jammu and Kashmir	http://jkfcsca.gov.in/
Tripura	https://fcatripura.gov.in

What is the Eligibility Criteria for a Ration Card

If you wish to apply for a Ration Card online, you will have to ensure that you meet the basic eligibility criteria first which includes -

No one should have applied for a Ration Card on your behalf
You should be the first one from your family to apply for the ration card
You should be an Indian citizen

List of Documents Required for Ration Card

Now that you have ensured that you and your family meet the ration card eligibility criteria, you will have to arrange a few documents. Those documents concern your identity, residence and income. You can find a list of ration card documents below -

In order to apply for a Ration Card online/offline, you will need

A copy of the State Application form
A Proof of Identity (acceptable documents: Driving Licence, Election ID, Government ID Card, Passport)
Residence Proof (acceptable documents: Telephone Bill, Electricity, LPG Receipt, Bank Passbook, Rental Agreement)
A picture of the family head
A proof of the annual income of the applicant
Your cancelled/surrendered Ration Card, if you have one

How to Apply for a Ration (Rashan) Card Online or Offline?

There are various ways through which you can apply for a Ration Card. Either you can apply for a Ration Card online or you can carry out the process offline. What you will find below is a step-by-step list of the processes that you will have to follow if you want to apply for a Ration Card online or otherwise.

1. Steps to Apply for a Ration Card Online:

Step 1: You can first try visiting the official website of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department of the state of your residence.
Step 2: All you will need are the documents stated on the portal in question which you will have to submit after filling the online application form.
Step 3: After submitting it, a representative of the organisation will contact you in order to further assist you with the process.
Step 4: If all of the documents submitted by you are correct and verified, the Ration Card will be sent to the address that you have given.
Step 5: Alternatively, you can visit third-party websites who specialise in helping Ration Card applicants with the process.
Step 6: You can visit their website, submit the form downloaded by you and upload it with the required documents. Shortly after the same, you can then expect to receive the Ration Card soon.

2. Steps to Apply for a Ration Card Offline:

Step 1: You will have to follow a format for an SMS (As would be stated on the website of your local Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department) which you will have to send on one of the numbers stated on the same.
Step 2: You should then receive a message, instructing you to follow a particular process for the purpose of applying for a Ration Card.
Step 3: You can also reach out to them via a Toll-Free/Customer Care number stated on the state government’s website.
Step 4: Once you make the call, you will be filled in on the process that needs to be followed in order to apply for your Ration Card.
Step 5: You can also visit the officials of your local Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department in person along with all the necessary documents. You will have to follow the process specified by them so that you can successfully apply for a Ration Card.

Step 1: If you want to check the Ration Card status online, you can do so on the official website of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department of the state that you live in.
Step 2: Under the E-services section, you will find the option of checking the status of your Ration Card application.

The above steps could have one of the two outcomes; Either you will see a list of the names of the people who have recently applied for a Ration Card and their respective status, or, you will need to punch in the details required out of you and then log in. Once you have logged in, you should be able to receive the information concerning the same.

How can you Download and Print your Ration Card Online

Once your Ration Card application has been approved, you can download and print it for future use. Following are the steps to download it-

Step 1: You will need your credentials to log in to the ration card portal and check the status of your Ration Card application.
Step 2: Once it has been approved, you will find the option of downloading or printing it.

Step 3: The printed version of the Ration Card should contain all of the necessary details you will need to purchase food items for yourself at subsidised rates.

If you want to learn more information about Ration Card, you can check it on Bajaj Markets.

Conclusion

While a ration card is not a mandatory document in India, it can be beneficial to get your card if you are eligible. With the rapid digitization of public welfare systems in India, you can now apply for your ration card online in most Indian states. Remember to keep the paperwork ready, so the application process is smooth and hassle-free.

A ration card not only makes it easier to purchase provisions at subsidised rates, but also helps you with other official application procedures. Availing loans becomes easy too, since your ration card is a valid ID/address proof. If you wish to avail house loan at attractive rates of interest today, visit Bajaj Markets and check out your options.

Quick Links

State Wise Ration Card - 1

State Wise Ration Card - 2

FAQs on Ration Card

A Ration Card number is a 10 digit unique numerical figure assigned to every Indian citizen who is the holder of it. It is issued by the respective state’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies.

You can quickly check your ration card details through the official portal of your state’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies.

Ration Cards are voluntary documents hence it is not compulsory for every citizen to obtain that but typically, people who are or reside below the poverty line apply for the ration card to secure the basic necessities of living at subsidised rates.

Yes. It is entirely possible for a household to have two family members with Ration Cards in their name.

Yes. Non Resident Indians can possess Ration Cards.

Latest Ration Card News

Centre launches web-based registration facility for ration cards

11 Indian states and union territories can now access ration card registrations through digital means. The Central Government launched a web-based registration facility for every eligible beneficiary to apply for a ration card. The Food Secretary of India said that this facility aims to assist “states and UTs in expeditiously identifying the eligible beneficiaries” and to issue ration cards for all those eligible to help them “avail their legal entitlement under the NFSA”.

The ‘My Ration - My Right’ facility is currently accessible in 11 states and UTs and, estimatedly, should be accessible pan-India by the end of the month.

Aug 26,2022

Civil supplies department launches door-to-door verification of ration card holder

Following many incidents of foodgrains intended for ration shops being diverted, particularly in the West Kochi region, the Civil Supplies department has started a district-wide door-to-door inspection of the credentials of ration card users.

Civil supply officers anticipate the involvement of a circle that acquired PDS foodgrains from ration card members on a regular basis for a set price, accumulated them, and then channelled them to the open market.

Teams of taluk supply officers and rationing inspectors have been working together for the past two weeks, with instructions to deliver weekly reports every Friday.

The department recently sent out five squads to investigate ration stores in the West Kochi region, and abnormalities were discovered in 15 of the stores. Since the infraction did not merit the termination of the rationing licence, other suitable punitive measures were implemented.

Aug 19, 2022

Portal to ensure ration cards for migrant workers: 16 million more likely to be added to the PDS list

In order to offer food grains at subsidised prices to migrant workers, the Central Government aims to launch a new national portal, to ensure their registration onto the PDS scheme. By means of a digital registration system and with the aid of biometric data, the government aims to include a further 16 million people under the National Food Security Act. Once these migrant workers receive their ration cards, they can enjoy the benefits of the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme. As per the government, thus far, ₹43,000 Crores worth of food grains have been distributed. To help ease the process, the new ration cards will be offered in both Hindi and English.

Aug 05, 2022

Digitization of Ration Cards completed in all states/UTs; Nearly 19.5 Crores ration cards digitized

Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution announced on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, that the digitization of ration cards has been completed in all states and UTs and approximately 19.5 Crore ration cards are now accessible on each state's or UT's transparency portal.

In accordance with the NFSA, an Aadhaar number has already been embedded into 99% of the total 19.5 Crore ration cards. States and UTs have time until September 30, 2022, to finish seeding the remaining ration cards with the Aadhaar cards.

The government has developed a plan called "End-to-end Computerization of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) Operations" for efficient execution and bringing transparency to the Public Distribution System (PDS).

- Jul 25, 2022

The government made this BIG announcement for ration card holders, every beneficiary jumped with joy

The government has sent excellent news to those who have an Antyodaya ration card. The government has promised to issue Ayushman cards for free medical care to Antyodaya card holders. The government will undertake a special drive at community health centres at the district and tehsil levels to make Ayushman cards. The purpose of this program is to create Ayushman cards for all households who have Antyodaya cards. The campaign will continue through July 20th.

In addition, the government has mandated that this service be implemented at Jan Suvidha Kendras. Antyodaya ration card holders can apply for an Ayushman card at these kendras.

- Jul 15, 2022