Chhattisgarh brings in ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’

BILASPUR: Chhattisgarh has implemented the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) strategy on Wednesday, February 2, which would now allow residents of the state to obtain their food grain allotment from any ration outlet across the country.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, has assessed how far states and territories have progressed in implementing the ONORC strategy.

According to an official announcement, “…following successful testing of portability transactions, the Department has approved the integration of Chhattisgarh with the current cluster of portability States/UTs under ONORC.”

From February 2, 2022, the ONORC plan for the national portability of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) ration cards will be available in Chhattisgarh. Migrant NFSA beneficiaries in the state of Chhattisgarh will now be able to get discounted food grains at any Fair Price Shop (FPS), commonly known as ration shops, across the country.

Since the start of the ONORC plan in August 2019, the department has reported that more than 56 crore portability transactions have been recorded in the States/UTs, delivering nearly 100 lakh tonnes of food grains through both inter-state and intra-state portability transactions, totalling around Rs 31,000 crore in food subsidy.

As a crucial metric, the states/UTs under ONORC are currently recording a monthly average of roughly 2.5 crore portability transactions (including inter-state, intra-state and PM-GKAY food grain transactions). The ONORC is a technology-driven distribution system that makes food security portable across the country and is especially useful for migratory NFSA beneficiaries who move around a lot in pursuit of temporary jobs, etc.

By utilising their same/existing ration card, they can obtain their entitled quota of food grains from any ration shop of their choice, wherever in the country. Families of migrant beneficiaries who have returned home can easily obtain a balanced ratio.