Indian Ration Card

What is the use of ration card? The Indian ration card is mainly used by its holders to draw subsidized food and non-food items from the ration shops. It is an important document for the people not only to get items necessary for life subsistence at a low price, but also as a proof of their identity. The entire PDS works on ration cards. There are three types of ration cards: Extreme Poverty Level (Antyodaya), Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL). These poverty levels are defined by the Planning Commission of India, every few years.

Looking at the importance aspect of the ration card, we would say that life becomes easy once a person possesses it. Even if the holder does not use it to get the ration, it can be used by him/her for identity purposes, at the passport office, the RTO etc. The ration card is a document of a person’s identity. Even if he/she is not using it, the owner cannot allow anybody else to make use of it.

For getting a fresh ration card, the following steps have to be followed by the applicant. Fill in an application form available at Food and Civil Supplies Department. The person’s voter ID card is also necessary. A proof of residence has to be attached. It could be either a copy of passport, electricity bill, water bill, gas bill, bank pass book or any other proof. These are to be submitted at the Jurisdictional Range Office, and get an acknowledgement. Then an officer from the department will visit the applicant’s residence to verify if he/she actually resides there. Then the officer submits the report to the department after being satisfied. Within a month, the ration card will be ready for collection by the applicant. On the day of receiving, the person has to pay a fee for computerized card, and completes it by affixing his/her photograph.

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