'One nation, One card' scheme to be implemented soon in country: Union Minister Danve

The Centre is going to implement the 'One Nation, One Card' scheme soon to improve the public distribution system (PDS) in the country, Union Minister Raosaheb Dadarao Danve said here on Monday.

The scheme will allow beneficiaries to get food security benefits from any PDS depot, he told reporters here after meeting food supply and consumer affairs department officials.

For effective implementation of the scheme, 12 clusters have been established in the country, the Union minister of state for consumer affairs said.

"The scheme will be implemented in the coming days," Danve said, adding that it will provide a sturdy apparatus to the PDS system.

Under the scheme consumers do not need to apply for a new ration card if they migrate to other areas of the country, he said.

"The same (existing) card will be applicable all over the country and beneficiaries will be able to buy subsidised food items from any ration depot as per stipulated norms," the Union minister said.

The 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme, which will largely cover migrant labourers and daily wagers, will come into force across the country from June 1.

Danve also said that out of the total 332-lakh metric tonnes procured wheat at the national level, Punjab contributes about 129-lakh metric tonnes.

Punjab contributes about 113-lakh metric tonnes in the aggregated procurement of rice that touches the 416-lakh metric tonnes mark in the country, he said.

Danve said as wheat procurement would start in the coming weeks, the main purpose of his visit was to discuss the arrangements to run the wheat purchase process smoothly.

He said 100-lakh metric tonnes capacity silos are being built to store wheat. The Centre has also fixed a target to set up silos of 700-lakh metric tonnes storage capacity in the country.

To store 33.5-lakh metric tonnes of wheat 92 sites have been selected in Punjab and "preparation work" is under progress, the minister said.

"There is no crisis of food grains in the country and we have more food grains than required. The Union government is providing wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg to 79 crore beneficiaries in the country besides providing sufficient stocks to states," he said.