Delhi will become the first State in the country to launch an e-ration card service next week in the national Capital. The move will keep a check on corruption and develop a transparent system. The Department of Food & Supplies has reportedly decided to issue ration cards to even those people who do not have Aadhaar cards. The legislators would be the nodal officers for issuing these cards in their respective Assembly segments. Those who have their Aadhaar cards can on their own download their e-ration card.
Sources said that the Department of Food & Supplies has decided to issue e-ration cards so that people do not have to go through a convoluted process. “The MlAs are being made nodal officers so that they can process these cards in their respective Assembly segments.” The department had earlier devised a system through which one could on his own track the status of one’s ration card and also distribution of rations made through Public Distribution System (PDS).
A senior official said the information about pendency and disposal of applications for food security and ration cards by inspectors and other officers has been made available on the website of the Department of Food & Supplies. The official said all that one has to do is to simply visit the website and click on the link ‘Date wise Disposal of Applications by FSO/Inspector’ provided on the homepage of the portal — nfs.delhi.gov.in — under the head, ‘Citizens Corner’. Even the decision on applications can be immediately known online by people who appeal against the decision of approval or rejection of the applications.
One can also see the performance of the department’s officers in disposal of applications for providing food security and issuing ration cards. The online facility is bound to improve the transparency in the functioning of the department. The department has 70 offices in city where applications for grant of food security can be submitted. Each office has one Food & Supply Officer and an Inspector who scrutinises these applications and decide on the eligibility of the applicants whether they are eligible to get subsidised rations under the National Food Security Act 2013.
The Department of Food & Supplies distributes over 3 lakh quintals of grain, including 2.40 lakh quintals of wheat every month to the poorest of poor in the city. There are 16 lakh-17 lakh National Food Security card holders in Delhi. It is estimated that 55 lakh-60 lakh poor are getting benefits from the scheme.