Issue NFSA ration cards to economically weaker sections of society: Centre

The Food and Public Distribution Ministry has asked states to issue ration cards to the poor and the needy who may not have address proof

Amid reports of the poor facing hurdles in availing subsidised foodgrains, the Centre has asked state governments and union territories to launch a special drive to issue ration cards to the weakest sections of society.

It asked the state governments to launch a special drive to reach out, identify and issue ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to the most vulnerable and economically weaker sections of the population in urban and rural areas by utilising the available coverage under their respective NFSA limits. These sections include street dwellers, rag pickers, hawkers, rickshaw pullers and migrant labourers among others.

Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said the states and UTs have the scope to add 1.97 crore beneficiaries to NFSA as only 14 states have achieved 100 per cent coverage.

“Out of total NFSA coverage limit of 81.35 crore, a gap of nearly 1.97 crore can be also utilised by States/UTs for this purpose,” Pandey said.

The advisory asked the states to launch a special drive to reach out, identify and issue ration cards under the NFSA to the most vulnerable and economically weakest sections of the population in urban and rural areas, by utilising the available coverage under their respective NFSA limits.

These are especially for people who may not have address proof. The advisory was necessitated as address proof was seen to be a hurdle.

In April, the Centre had announced a monthly distribution of an additional 5 kg of foodgrains for free to 80 crore PDS beneficiaries from May 1, for two months to help the poor tide over the economic hardship in the second wave of the pandemic.

Additional grains were to be given under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) via ration shops or Public Distribution System.

The Centre was aiming at distributing 80 lakh tonnes of foodgrains over the two-month period that will cost the exchequer over Rs 26,000 crore.