New Delhi: Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan has said the ‘one nation one ration card’ scheme will start working nationwide by March 31, 2021.
He said the scheme was launched in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Hrayana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura on January one 2020. Bihar Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Daman and Diu started the ‘one nation one ration card’on May 1, 2020. Similarly, From June 1, 2020, Odisha, Sikkim and Mizoram implemented the scheme.
He said that Uttrakhand, Nagaland, and Manipur will have the scheme from August 1, 2020. Paswan said that the rest of states and union territories would launch it by March 31 next year.
The 'one nation, one ration card' entails integration of the existing PDS systems or portals of states and UTs with those of the Centre under a central repository of all NFSA ration cards and beneficiaries.
The central repository also ensures that no duplicate ration cards and beneficiaries exist in any state or UT.
