To boost India’s Agri-scenario, the Ministry of Consumer affairs has aimed to roll out ‘One Nation-One Card’ with 20 States on board from June 1, said Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan while delivering his speech during BusinessLine Agri Summit 2020.
One Nation-One Ration Card for These States
As per reports, this move is intended to enable the right beneficiaries to get their entitlement of subsidized foodgrains even if they are not in their home State/Union Territory. Paswan said 12 States are already on board. These include Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Tripura. “We expect big States such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to join by March,” he said.
Paswan said that 19 States and Union Territories already allow ration card portability within their own region.
Moreover, he said that his roles require him to run aggressively even while guarding his wicket for a longer inning.
Clarifying doubts on ‘One Nation-One Card’, Paswan said, “I wish to clarify that no new ration cards are being made and there is no merit in this talk of a corporate house being given the responsibility of making new cards. The existing cards will be sufficed for getting these updated cards.”
As reported, the scheme is expected to cover 63 crore beneficiaries. The many States have already installed e-PoS machines to facilitate portability. In an effort to plug leakages, over 90 per cent ration cards have been Aadhaar seeded. This resulted in the cancellation of over 2.98 crore ration cards. Thirty-four states and Union Territories are distributing subsidized food grains online.
Moreover, the Minister said that prices of vegetables, including onions, have come down. “We never care about the price of shoes, cars or watches when they increase. But if the farmer gains even a little bit from a vegetable price rise, we cry foul that prices have risen exorbitantly. How do we balance everything,” he asked.
