Ration Card 2020: Crores of People Will Continue to Get Free Ration till September

Following Prime Minister’s call for self-reliant India, the Union Food Ministry has announced a big relief for the ration cardholders and farmers amid the 4.0 lockdown. As per reports, the timeline given to all States/UTs, under the Aadhaar notification of the Department of Food and Public Distribution dated 07.02.2017 (as amended from time-to-time) to complete the seeding of Aadhaar numbers with all ration cards/beneficiaries, has been extended up to 30/09/2020 by the Food Ministry. 

According to the National Food Security Act, the ration card beneficiary’s names will not be cancelled even if their names are not linked to their Aadhaar number.  The beneficiaries will continue to get ration even if the ration is not linked to the Adhaar. The central government has announced to give 15 kg of free ration for 3 months amid the nationwide lockdown.  

Ration Cards will not be Canceled: Govt give Assurance 

The Food Department has given clear instructions that till September 30, ration card of any rightful beneficiary will not be cancelled. If someone's ration card is not linked to the Aadhaar number, then that beneficiary's name will not be removed. The department has issued a directive that no one will be denied food grains under NFSA due to lack of biometric or Aadhaar identification of the beneficiaries. 

Many people have Linked Ration card to Aadhaar 

According to the Food Ministry, so far 90 per cent of the total 23.5 crore ration cards have been linked to the ration card beneficiary Aadhaar number.  

'One country-one ration card' Scheme in 20 states from June 1 

In the lockdown caused by the Coronavirus in the country, the government has given relief to the migration of workers and financially weak people. The government has formulated a country-one ration card scheme under the ration card portability service, which is constantly preparing to be implemented. The Union Government will implement one country-one ration card in 20 states and union territories from June 1. Recently, this information was given by Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. 

Sitharaman Announced 20 Lakh Core Relief Package 

To decrease the plight of MSME, farmers, workers and common people, the government has released 20 Lakh Core relief package to the nation after implementing 4.0 lockdown. 

Process completed in These States 

As per reports, 17 states and union territories have already been linked to one country-one ration card scheme. This includes Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Jharkhand, Tripura, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Daman-Diu.