Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa is amongst the 17 States to have successfully operationalised the One Nation One Ration Card System (ONRCS).
As per an official release, it was revealed that these States that had completed the ONRC reform are now eligible for additional borrowing of 0.25 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Accordingly, these States have been granted additional borrowing permission of Rs 37,600 crore by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. From this amount, Goa has been permitted additional borrowing of Rs 223 crore.
ONRCS is aimed at ensuring availability of ration to beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and other welfare schemes, especially the migrant workers and their families, at any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country.
“The reform especially empowers the migratory population mostly labourers, daily wagers, urban poor like rag pickers, street dwellers, temporary workers in organised and unorganised sectors, domestic workers etc, who frequently change their place of dwelling to be self reliant in food security,” said the release.
This technology driven reform enables the migrant beneficiaries to get their entitled quota of food grains from any electronic point of sale (e-PoS) enabled FPSs of their choice anywhere in the country.
The reform also enables the States in better targeting of beneficiaries, elimination of bogus/ duplicate/ineligible card holders resulting in enhanced welfare and reduced leakage.
Further, to ensure seamless inter-State portability of a ration card, Aadhaar seeding of all ration cards as well as biometric authentication of beneficiaries through automation of all FPSs with installation of electronic point of sale (e-PoS) devices are essential. Therefore, additional borrowing limit of 0.25 per cent of the GSDP is allowed to the States only on completion of the two following actions. First being the ‘Aadhaar Seeding’ of all the ration cards and beneficiaries in the State. And second, is the automation of all the FPSs in the State.
