Friday, January 24, 2020

T.N. rolls out ration card portability

24/01/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN,CHENNAI

Ahead of the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ scheme expected to be rolled out by the BJP government at the Centre in June, the Tamil Nadu government has accorded administrative approval for the implementation of intra-State portability of ration cards.

The scheme enables ration cardholders to purchase foodgrain from any fair price shop in the State. The intra-State portability would be introduced in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts on a pilot basis and then be rolled out across the State, a G.O. issued by the Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department said.

Presently, there are 35,233 fair price shops run by various agencies such as cooperatives, the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and women’s self-help groups, among others. A total of 9,635 of them are part-time shops. In all, 2,05,03,379 families have been provided with smart ration cards.

For effective portability of ration cards, the State government has instructed authorities to make a 5% additional allotment of essential commodities than the usual.

“For availing the facility, there should be a minimum distance between the existing shop and the commodity lifting shop. Hence, the existing shop to which the family card is attached and the shop from which the commodity is lifted should not be in the same revenue village in rural areas and not in the same ward in urban areas,” the order specified.

According to the Commissioner of Civil Supplies, the portability will be helpful to migrant labourers.

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