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