Centre launches portal to register for rations

• The Centre has launched a common facility to register names in ration cards on pilot basis for 11 States and Union Territories.

Details

• The facility will enable these States to identify and verify the eligible beneficiaries for coverage under the National Food Security Act.
• Named Ration Mitr, this software developed by the National Informatics Centre can be used to enrol people of any State.
• The portal is an enabler for States/U.T.s to complete their inclusion exercise under NFSA.

NFSA

• The National Food and Security Act of 2013 provides subsidised food grains to 75% of India's rural population and 50% of its urban population.
• NFSA 2013 includes almost two-thirds of the Indian population in its entirety.
• Provisions under the National Food Security Act 2013
• Approximately 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are covered by the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), which provides a uniform monthly allocation of 5 kg per person.
• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) foodgrain allotment will be 35 kg per household per month.
• Central and state governments share joint responsibilities under the National Food Security Act 2013.
• The centre is in charge of allocating and transporting food grains to designated depots in the states and UTs.
• The centre is required to give central assistance to states/UTs for the distribution of food grains from authorised FCI godowns to the Fair Price Shops' doorsteps.
• States and union territories are in charge of:
• Identifying eligible households,
• Issuing ration cards,
• Distributing foodgrain entitlements through fair price shops,
• Issuing licences to Fair Price Shop(FPS) dealers and monitoring them
• Establishing an effective grievance redress mechanism and necessary strengthening of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
• The National Food Security Act (2013) also includes provisions for reforms in the Targeted Public Distribution System that include cash transfers for the provisioning of food entitlements.
• First started in the union territories of Chandigarh and Puducherry, Direct Benefit Transfer(DBT) entails the cash equivalent of the subsidy being transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible households.

Prelims Take Away

• DBT
• TPDS
• NFSA
• FCI