The Supreme Court recently directed all states and Union Territories to implement the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) system by 31st July 2021. This system permits migrant labourers covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to avail food at any fair price outlet using their ration card regardless of location.
Right to Food and Migrant Importance
Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the fundamental right to life, which can be interpreted as the right to exist with dignity, access to food, and other basic necessities. Approximately 38 crore workers are employed in unorganized sectors, as per National Statistics Office (NSO) data of 2017-2018. These workers, who don’t have a permanent source of employment, contribute significantly to the nation’s economic development through their work in various industries and projects.
Setting Up the National Database for Unorganised Workers
The Labour Ministry faced criticism from the court for not completing the Rs 45.39-crore National Database for Unorganised Workers (NDUW) portal. This database is meant to register and identify migrant workers. Additionally, establishments should be registered, and contractors should be licensed under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979.
Redetermination of Beneficiaries Under NFSA
The Supreme Court directed the Centre to undertake a review under Section 9 of the National Food Security Act, 2013. This process is meant to re-determine the total number of persons to be covered under Rural and Urban areas of each State.
ONORC System Background
The ONORC system was initiated to remedy the inefficiencies in the Public Distribution System (PDS). With this, around 81 crore people entitled to buy subsidized food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, would no longer be restricted by the jurisdiction of their assigned fair price shops. The ONORC system was launched in August 2019.
Aim of the ONORC System
The goal of the ONORC system is to enable migrant workers and their families to buy subsidized ration from any fair price shop anywhere in the country under the NFSA. To push this reform in PDS, the government offered incentives to states and set preconditions for additional borrowing amid the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
Technology Behind ONORC
ONORC operates using technology that uses details of beneficiaries’ ration card, Aadhaar number, and electronic Points of Sale (ePoS). Beneficiaries are identified through biometric authentication on ePoS devices at fair price shops. This system utilizes two portals – Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) and Annavitran.
ONORC Coverage
To date, 32 states and Union Territories have implemented ONORC, covering approximately 69 crore NFSA beneficiaries. However, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and West Bengal are yet to come onboard.
Benefits of ONORC
ONORC allows beneficiaries to collect their share of rations in states other than the one where the ration card was originally issued. It also gives beneficiaries the option to choose their dealer. This will be particularly advantageous for women and other underprivileged groups. By facilitating better access to the PDS, this system contributes towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2—ending hunger by 2030. This is crucial, given India’s ranking on the Global Hunger Index, where it stands at 94 out of 107 countries.