The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has introduced the ‘Mera Ration’ mobile app as part of the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ (ONORC) system. This innovative application aims to help citizens identify their nearest Fair Price Shop (FPS), focusing mainly on the needs of ration card holders who relocate for work.
About the Mera Ration Mobile App
Developed by the National Informatics Center, the Mera Ration app is currently available in English and Hindi. Plans are underway to make it accessible in 14 additional languages, targeting regions with high rates of migration.
The application offers various facilities for its users. Beneficiaries can locate their nearest fair price shop, check details of their food grain entitlement and recent transactions, and verify the status of their Aadhaar seeding. They can also register their migration details and provide feedback or suggestions through the app.
One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) Scheme
The ONORC is a nationwide portability system for ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013. It is implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution and has revolutionised how beneficiaries, especially migrants, receive their subsidized food grains.
Under the ONORC scheme, cardholders have the freedom to claim full or partial food grains from any FPS in the country using their existing ration card authenticated with biometrics or Aadhaar. This flexibility was not available earlier. Furthermore, states that have completed the ONORC system reform are now eligible for extra borrowing of 0.25% of their gross state domestic product (GSDP).
Seventeen states, with the most recent addition being Uttarakhand, have operationalised the ONORC system.
Coverage and Growth of ONORC
The ONORC initiative began in four states in 2019 and had expanded to 32 states/union territories by the end of 2020. It is predicted that the remaining four states/UTs (Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and West Bengal) will integrate into the system in the upcoming months.
Currently, ONORC provides coverage for nearly 69 Crore NFSA beneficiaries, approximately 86% of the NFSA population. The system records an average of about 1.5~1.6 Crore portability transactions per month.
Expanding the Accessibility of ONORC
The government distributes 5 kg of subsidised food grains per person per month through more than 5.4 lakh ration shops. Efforts are being made to fully integrate the Migrants’ Portal with ONROC system, backed by the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
ONORC has also been incorporated into the PM SVANidhi program of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. Various media outlets, ministries such as the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Press Information Bureau, MyGov, Bureau of Outreach & Communication, have supported the publicity of the ONORC initiative.
Last Modified: February 11, 2024