Punjab to issue Aadhaar linked e-ration cards

Punjab will issue Aadhaar-linked e-ration cards to ensure that only genuine beneficiaries get subsidised foodgrain.
"All the identified beneficiaries are being distributed Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) compliant e-ration cards," said state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon.
Punjab is the first state in the country to have initiated the e-ration cards to ensure that only genuine and deserving beneficiaries get subsidised ration, he added.
After implementation of National Food Security Act, distribution of subsidised foodgrain is being done strictly on the basis of digitised database of the ration card holders, the Minister said.
Punjab is among the first states to have implemented the National Food Security Act 2013. About 31 lakh beneficiary families were covered under the subsidised foodgrain scheme, he said.

Kairon said earlier only about 11 per cent of state's population was eligible for receiving subsidised foodgrains, which was much lower than in neighbouring states like Haryana with the same socio economic pattern.

After the aggressive persuasion by the state government, the coverage has increased manifold, he said.
Under the food security law, 54.79 per cent rural and 44.83 per cent urban population in the state are to be covered under this Act.
Of the total population of 2.77 crore, 1.41 crore individuals were entitled for receiving subsidised food grains under Targeted Public Distribution System and NFSA, he said.
Kairon said that as per the provisions of this Act, every person identified under the priority households would be distributed five kilograms of coarse food grains (Rs 1 per kg) or wheat (Rs 2 per kg) or rice (Rs 3 per kg) per month.