Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan today on pilot basis launched ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme at two fair price shops here at Bhagwati Nagar. The scheme is part of an important technological reform initiative under the recently launched Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan related economic measures by Government of India.
Among others, Secretary Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, Simrandeep Singh; Director, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department Jammu, Jatinder Singh and other concerned were also present on the occasion.
On the occasion, the Advisor said that under One Nation One Ration Card initiative, eligible beneficiaries from any state/UT of India would be able to get their entitled food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) from any fair price shop in the country with interstate portability. The scheme was announced last year by government of India but it has recently gained momentum on account of huge migrant related movement during the COVID lockdown.
The Advisor said that the system will enable any individual or migrant worker and their family member to access Public Distribution System (PDS) from any fair price shop in the country.
During the inaugural function at a fair price shop, the Advisor also distributed rations among two beneficiaries from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh who were already registered with the NFSA in their home states. These two beneficiaries also became first non- native beneficiaries of J&K to receive ration under this initiative. The identified beneficiaries were authenticated through their Aadhar numbers. Advisor said that the migrant labourer would hugely benefit from this scheme as they can purchase their allotted rations from fair price shops on subsidized rates.
The Advisor said that after the implementation of the scheme there will be only one type of ration card across the entire country and adequate food grains would be provided to poor sections at subsidized rates.
Later, Advisor Khan also distributed appreciation certificates among the officials of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department for their outstanding role during COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Food and Civil supplies plans to completely roll out the scheme in a phased manner by end of August, 2020.