Lok Sabha Question No. 1224 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-14
Subject: Portability of Ration Cards
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

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

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1224

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 14TH DECEMBER, 2022

## PORTABILITY OF RATION CARDS

## 1224. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

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

- (a) whether the Government is implementing portability of ration cards in India and Delhi in particular and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether migrant labourers in Delhi have availed benefits of cards portability and if SO, the details thereof; and
- ration
- (c) the steps taken to reform the PDS system for preventing leakages and reduce cost overrun?

## A NS WER

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

- (a): Yes the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan, for nationwide portability of the ration cards under National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) is presently enabled in all the 36 States/UTs (across the country) including NCT of Delhi, covering entire NFSA population (around 80 Crore) in the countryUnder 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 existing ration card with biometric authentication on an electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) device.The interlintra district along with Inter-State distribution of regular NFSA foodgrains have been started in Delhi since 2021 and enabled for all NFSA beneficiaries (alongwith other States beneficiaries) under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan: So a total of 93.31 crore portability transactions have been recorded under ONORC in the country: Sir, July far,

- (b): The NFSA beneficiaries   including migrant labourers, in Delhi are availing the benefits of ration card (RC) portability under ONORC plan. So a total of 2.12 crore portability transactions are recorded under ONORC in Delhi: far,

(c): With the aim of  improving the transparency and  efficiency of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in the country, and to address the challenges of leakages and diversion of subsidised foodgrains, cleansing of ineligible, duplicate and bogus ration cards, etc. the Department, in collaboration with all States/UTs, has implemented a scheme on 'End-to-End Computerization of TPDS Operations' under PDS reforms. The scheme, inter-alia consisted of digitization of ration cards data, automation of Fair Price Shops with electronic Point of Sale Machines (ePoS) computerization of supply-chain management including online allocation of foodgrains up to all Fair Price Shops (FPSs); setting up of transparency portals, online grievance redressal mechanisms and tollfree helplines in all StateslUTs Besides, to accurately identify and weed out the ineligible, duplicate and potentially fake ration cardslbeneficiaries from the TPDS and to enable rightful targeting of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), nearly 99% of the NFSA ration cards have been seeded with Aadhaar numbers.