20 States come on board for One Nation One Ration Card

New Delhi, July 20: At least 20 states have come on board for the One Nation One Ration card initiatives.

The 20 states have come on board to implement the inter-state ration card portability.

The system would be implemented in all states and Union Territories by March 2021.

One Nation, One Ration Card' will provide relief to beneficiaries allowing them and their family members to avail food grains from any fair price shop in the country. This will be completed in all states & UTs by March 2021, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a tweet.

In May 2020, Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the One Nation One Ration Card. While announcing measures for migrant workers, Sitharaman said that 100 per cent of ration cardholders will be covered in One Nation One Ration Card scheme by March 2021.

Talking about One Nation One Ration Card, Sitharaman said that 67 per cent of the ration cardholders will get covered by August 2020.

According to the scheme, a family will be able to avail 1 Kg Rice or 1 Kg Wheat in addition to 1 Kg Bengal grams (Chana).

One Nation One Ration Card will give free hand to the beneficiaries, as they will not be tied to single PDS shop. It also lessens their dependence on shop owners and curb corruption. The scheme will also allow portability of food security benefits.