Lok Sabha Question No. 476 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Implementation of ONORC
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Umesh G. Jadhav, Gopal Chinayya Shetty, Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, Nama Nageswara Rao, Sunil Kumar Soni, Arun Sao, Vijay Baghel, Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam, Jaisiddeshwar Shivacharya Mahaswamiji, Sanganna Amarappa Karadi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.476 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH JULY, 2022

## IMPLEMENTATION OF ONORC

476.

SHRI GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY:

SHRI ANNASAHEB SHANKAR JOLLE:

SHRI NAMA NAGESWARA RAO:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SONI:

SHRI ARUN SAO:

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

SHRI SANGANNA AMARAPPA

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has implemented the new Ration Card, One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme to improve the functioning of Public Distribution System (PDS) in the country and if the details thereof along with the States which have agreed to implement the said scheme;
- (b) the number of migrants estimated to be eligible for accessing the scheme, State-wise and the number of beneficiaries presently linked with the scheme, Statewise;
- (c) whether the implementation of the scheme is mandatory for all the States, if the details thereof including the role of the State Governments in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor; and

- (d) whether some States/Union Territories have not implemented the One Nation One Ration Card scheme and whether PDS items are not distributed there as per the new ration card and if So, the details thereof and the reasons therefor and the steps taken by the Government to help the beneficiaries especially migrant workers to food items at subsidized rates anywhere in the country; far, get
- (e) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to provide food items and kerosene oil in adequate quantity and convenient manner to the personsl farmers particularly those who belong to desert, hilly, backward and rural areas; and
- the details of financial outlay for the year 2021-22 for this scheme and the steps taken by the Government to create awareness among migrants regarding this scheme?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a) & (b): The One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan, for nation-wide portability of the National Food  Security Act 2013 (NFSA) benefits, is presently enabled in all the 36 States/UTs, covering entire NFSA population (about 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries) in the country. Under the plan, the NFSA beneficiaries have been empowered with the choice to lift their entitled foodgrain from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice, anywhere in the country, by using their same existing ration card with biometric authentication on an electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) device: AII the NFSA beneficiaries (around 80 Crore) including migrant beneficiaries are eligible for accessing this plan:
- (c) & (d): Union Government introduced a central sector scheme namely "Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)" We.f: April 2018. The key objectives of the scheme inter-alia include integration of PDS systemlportals of States/UTs; One Nation One Ration Card facility (portability) for ration cards; financial assistance to States/UTs for hiring manpower at Stateldistrict Ievel, etc: One Nation One Ration Card facility has been enabled in all the 36 States/UTs covering entire NFSA population: This  facility enables all the NFSA beneficiaries, especially migrant beneficiaries, to food items at highly subsidized rates anywhere in the country. 1st get

(e): Under its existing scheme, Government of India regularly allocates foodgrains under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) to all the StatesIUTs on the basis of coverage of population in that StatelUT and covering around 80 Crore persons, which include personslfarmers belonging to desert, hilly, backward and rural areas. One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan which has been enabled in all the States/UTs and ensures nation-wide seamless portability of the entitled ration benefits to all the National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries proved to be of immense help to the beneficiaries, particularly migrant beneficiaries. Also,

(f): Does not arise.