Ration Card Update: Currently, people are availing the benefits of government-subsidised rations through ration cards. However, many individuals move to different cities or states for employment or education. This raises the question: if a family member is living in a different location, can they still avail ration benefits? Can a family member living away from home access these benefits separately? Let us explain the rules regarding these issues.
The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has clarified this matter on its official social media platform, ‘X’. They confirmed that family members living apart can indeed avail their entitled ration benefits from different ration shops.
What is the ONORC rule?
If you hold an AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) or PHH (Priority Household) ration card, provisions have been made under the ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card) scheme. This means that even if a family member lives elsewhere, they can still access their allocated ration from different shops. It is not mandatory for any family member to collect supplies from a single, specific ration shop; an eligible beneficiary of an AAY or PHH card can avail ration benefits from anywhere.
What to do if someone else holds the ration card?
If another family member holds the ration card and you are concerned that you might not receive your ration, you can be assured that this is not the case. You do not need to have the physical ration card to collect your ration. You simply need to visit a nearby ration shop and provide your ration card number or Aadhaar number to the shopkeeper. After authenticating your identity via fingerprint or iris scan on the machine, you can collect your share of the ration.