Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday launched the implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ scheme in 32 districts in Tamil Nadu. The scheme will be implemented in Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi, Tiruvannamalai and Virudhunagar districts from October 16.
Under this scheme, families with Priority Household (PHH) ration cards and Antodaya Anna Yojana (PHH-AAY) ration cards from Tamil Nadu, when migrating to other States can receive their monthly entitlements through biometric authentication under the National Food Security Act, 2013, an official release stated.
Likewise, families with these cards in other States migrating to Tamil Nadu, too can receive their monthly entitlements with their existing ration cards at the Central-issue price in the ration shops near their residence in Tamil Nadu after biometric authentication.
“If the ration cardholders from Tamil Nadu could not complete the biometric authentication, they could use their smart cards and receive an OTP in their Aadhaar-linked mobile phone and the existing system of using Aadhaar and scanned ration cards to receive their monthly entitlements,” the release said.
The elderly and those with illnesses, who cannot go in person to receive their monthly essential entitlements, could also nominate a person to receive them.
After computerising the public distribution system (PDS) operations in the State at a total cost of ₹330 crore, the Tamil Nadu government has been distributing essential supplies to beneficiaries with smart cards since April 1, 2017.
Under the Centre’s Integrated Management of Public Distribution System, efforts were taken to provide essential supplies even to families from other States that migrate to Tamil Nadu.
Cooperation Minister Sellur K. Raju, Food Minister R. Kamaraj, Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam and senior officials were present at the launch.