Government to distribute e-ration cards through Akshaya centres

Thiruvananthapuram: State Government has introduced a facility for providing e-ration cards through Akshaya centres in which the beneficiaries submitted their applications.

The recommendations of the civil supplies director for introducing such a system was approved by the department of food and civil supplies.

This was following complaints that many families did not have ration cards for getting the free ration supply announced by the government for the lockdown period after the outbreak of Covid-19. E-ration cards can be used for availing all services that are available for normal ration cardholders.

Akshaya centres will collect a fee of Rs 25 for printing the ration card and Rs 50 as the price of the card. The only fee for printing the cards will be collected from persons belonging to the scheduled caste/tribe and AAY categories. National Informatics Centre has been entrusted with the task of making changes in the software to ensure the distribution of e-ration cards.

Messages will be given to the mobile phones of the beneficiaries after the Taluk supply offices approved the applications submitted through Akshaya centres. Taluk Supply officers have been authorised to put digital signatures for approving the applications. Applications should be accompanied by copies of Aadhaar cards, passport size photo, and certificate from MLA or panchayat member attesting that the person is a resident of the area, an affidavit and mobile phone number. The state government had earlier introduced a facility for providing ration supplies at fair price shops through an affidavit for those without ration cards. Around 30,000 families have utilised this facility.

Kit distributed to 17 lakh pink cardholders

As many as 17 lakh pink cardholders among the 31.5 such cardholders have collected the free kit announced by the government for this category.

Each kit, worth around Rs 1,000, contains 17 items including one kg sugar, 250 gm tea powder, one kg salt, green gram, half-a-litre cooking oil, two kg atta, one kg Rava, one kg black channa, soaps among others. Kit distribution commenced on April 27. To prevent crowding in front of the shops, the government had devised a card number system for distribution of the kit.

In the initial stages kit for cards ending in one number was distributed on each day. Later, it was decided that kit will be distributed to cards ending in two numbers on each day. As many as 5.47 lakh yellow cardholders have also been provided free kits. The government has not yet finalised the dates for the free distribution of kits to blue and white cardholders. A decision has not been taken on the distribution of free kits to those without ration cards.