ONKAR SINGH / NEW DELHI
Government today launched the One Nation-One Ration Card scheme on a pilot basis in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra and Gujarat.
Families who have food security cards can buy subsidized rice and wheat from any ration shop in these states. Their ration cards should be linked with Aadhar Number to avail this service.
The white Ration Card holders in Telangana have been getting the portability facility, enabling them to buy their subsidized rice and other food grains from any Fair Price Shop in the state.
The same facility can be utilized anywhere in Andhra Pradesh now through PoS machines under the One Nation One Ration Card scheme which has come into force in the two states.
The Centre is intended to extend the programme to all states by August next year so that the portability of the food security card implemented.
The Telangana Civil Supplies Corporation conducted a trial run of the project last week with consumers from Andhra Pradesh drawing their commodities from the fair price shop in Hyderabad.
According to officials, 2.82 crore consumers had benefited with the ration portability introduced in the Telangana last year.
More than 56 lakh beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act in the state will be benefited from the facility. The same will be the case with consumers in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat which are identified for implementation of the pilot project.