Ration Cards’ Common Registration Facility Launched in 11 States/UTs

Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, yesterday launched a 'Common Registration Facility' on a trial basis for 11 states/UTs, including Assam, Goa, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Tripura, and Uttrakhand.

This Web-based facility will allow these 11 States/UTs to collect data on people who want to register for NFSA inclusion, including migrants living in other states.

This facility will assist States/UTs in quickly identifying and verifying eligible beneficiaries for coverage under the NFSA based on their established inclusion and exclusion criteria, subject to the State/NFSA UT's ceiling limit, and thus achieving the rightful targeting of benefits.

This portal is only an enabler for States/UTs to complete their inclusion exercise under NFSA. Pandey emphasized that the portal will help to streamline data management while also providing a platform for states/UTs to help with beneficiary inclusion.

The National Food Security Act of 2013 (NFSA) ensures food security for up to 81.35 million people in the country.

The total number of people covered by the NFSA (including AAY families) has been clearly defined by this Department's Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2015, issued under the National Food Security Act, 2013. (NFSA). The current national NFSA coverage is approximately 79.74 crore, with a total ceiling limit of 81.35 crore.

All States/UTs are constantly advised to identify maximum eligible and left-out persons (currently not covered under NFSA) through special camps, identification drives, etc. and bring them under NFSA coverage (AAY/PHH) as per their eligibility and up to the respective ceiling limits, as well as to weed out ineligible beneficiaries from the coverage on a regular basis.