The measures come as part of the streamlining of the public distribution system by the department. Addressing a press conference in Bangalore on Friday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Shobha Karandlaje said families in the urban areas, who do not possess ration cards, can submit their applications online through the website http://ahara.kar.nic.in or avail of “online service” at taluk office or offices of the jurisdictional assistant director or deputy director of the department by paying a fee of Rs 10.

Those in rural areas need to furnish information through the computers of their jurisdictional gram panchayat offices. Submission of applications for new ration cards can only be made online. Printed or handwritten applications will not be accepted, the minister said.

Families in possession of ration cards and who have submitted their electricity meter RR number and their residential property tax number as sought by the department need not apply.

Consumers can also log on to the website to confirm whether they possess valid ration cards by keying in their card number, Karandlaje said.

Food and Civil Supplies Secretary B A Harish Gowda said persons applying for ration cards have to furnish information about the place of residence and their family. He said submission of applications through the computer system will facilitate proper submission of data, processing and prompt delivery of ration cards. Once the application is submitted, the applicant will get an acknowledgement via e-mail or SMS. The jurisdictional food inspector will make a spot visit to verify the authenticity of the details provided following which the cards would be issued.

The department has not fixed any deadline to avail of new ration cards as the same is an ongoing process, the minister said.

Bogus cards

The department has also identified 12 lakh bogus ration cards in the urban areas (highest being in Bangalore at 3.23 lakh) and around 18 lakh bogus cards in rural pockets.

A few months ago, the department had launched a drive to weed out bogus cards by linking ration cards to electricity meter RR numbers of houses of beneficiaries in the urban areas and property tax numbers of houses in the rural areas.