The recent incorporation of Manipur, Nagaland, and Uttarakhand, with the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir, into the One Nation-One Ration Card (ONORC) Scheme has been making news. The programme now covers 24 States/UTs across the nation, with plans to integrate the remaining regions by March 2021. This article reviews the key points of ONORC, its benefits, issues involved, and possible suggestions for improvements.
Understanding the ONORC Scheme
Launched as an inter-State system for ration card portability in 2019, the ONORC Scheme allows beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 to claim their entitled quota of food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS), regardless of their location in India. The program utilizes Aadhaar-based authentication in conjunction with existing ration cards. With 24 States/UTs participating, about 65 crore beneficiaries or roughly 80% of total NFSA-covered individuals can claim their subsidized rations across these territories.
Benefits of the ONORC Scheme
The ONORC Scheme aims to bring transparency and efficiency to the distribution of food grains. By improving the identification system for fake/duplicate ration cards, it empowers Public Distribution System beneficiaries to select the FPS of their choice at a national level. It also addresses food security for migrant labourers seeking better job opportunities in other states.
Moreover, the scheme upholds Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDG) 2, which targets ending hunger by 2030. The implementation of ONORC is especially crucial considering India’s ranking on the Global Hunger Index, where it ranks 102 out of 117 countries in 2019.
Challenges Associated with the Scheme
Several challenges were identified during the lockdown when the ration distribution became problematic for migrant workers without ration cards in their residential states. This led to large-scale migrations back to their home villages amid lockdown.
There are also logistical issues to consider. An FPS gets a monthly quota strictly according to its assigned population. The full implementation of ONORC could disrupt this system as migrant populations result in varying numbers of customers across FPSs.
Moreover, no precise data is available on the mobility of poor households migrating for work or their intra- and inter-state destinations and sectors employing these workers.
Proposed Solutions
To address these issues, several suggestions have been put forward. Implementing the Unorganised Sector Social Security Act 2008 could facilitate the documentation of informal sector workers. A dedicated e-commerce platform for ONORC could mitigate logistical concerns, and mandatory social auditing could help assess the program’s performance.
The NFSA defines food security as nutritional security, and it’s essential that services such as Integrated Child Development Services, Mid-Day Meals, immunization, healthcare, etc., are made portable for migrating poor households. In the long-run, the PDS system may be replaced by a fool-proof food coupon system or direct benefit transfer, allowing Below Poverty Line families to buy essential food items at market prices from any Kirana store using coupons or cash.
Last Modified: February 8, 2024