Types Of Ration Cards

Ration cards help the members of the economically underprivileged sections of society with the procurement of essential products and commodities at heavily subsidised rates. Earlier there were four different types of ration cards issued by the state government on the basis of yearly income. These are as follows:

Two Ration Card types are issued in several Indian states that adhere to the rules and norms of the National Food Security Act of 2013. They are as follows:

1. Priority Household (PHH) Ration Cards:

The PHH ration cards means that the holder can procure up to 5 kilograms of food grains every month per family member at subsidised prices. PHH ration card holders can secure rice at ₹3 per kilogram, wheat at ₹2 per kilogram and coarse grains at ₹1 per kilogram. These prices are set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and are amended periodically. The people who can be holders of PHH ration cards are as follows:

• A transgender individual

• A person who is unable to use more than 40% of his/her body.

• Households belonging to tribal groups

• Households with no shelter

• Households that have a widowed pension holder

• Households living on alms.

2. Antyodaya (AAY) Ration Cards:

The AAY Ration Card holders are entitled to up to 25 kilograms of food items per month at subsidized prices. The AAY Ration Card holders can procure up to 20 kilograms of rice and 15 kilograms of wheat at ₹3 and ₹2 respectively. The AAY ration cards are issued to the following people:

• People with no stable income

• Men and women above 65 years of age

 

Labourers living on a daily wage, rickshaw drivers and coolies

The kinds of ration cards that are issued by several Indian states under the old TPDS regime are as follows:

• Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration card:

The BPL ration cards are issued to individuals who live below the state-defined poverty line. The same is subject to constant change.

• Above Poverty Line (APL) Ration Cards:

The APL ration cards are given to those individuals who live above the state-defined poverty line. The poverty line is redefined on a periodical basis.

• The PHH Ration Card:

Any household that is an owner of a PHH ration card will receive 5 kgs of food grains per person every month at a subsidised price. Such cardholders are charged ₹3 for a kg of rice, while they can procure wheat for as low as ₹2 and grains for ₹1. These prices are fixed by the Reserve Bank of India and are revised on a periodical basis.

Households that are issued the AAY ration card are entitled to approximately 35 kgs of food grains. Rice and wheat are issued at the scale of 20 kgs and 15 kgs respectively. The rates that are charged for a kilogram of rice and wheat to an AAY ration cardholder is ₹3 and ₹2 respectively.

1. Inclusion Criteria for AAY Ration Card

• Single men or women with no family/societal support

• Disabled people, widows, terminally ill individuals and persons aged above 60 years or those households that are headed by such persons

• Agricultural labourers who are not landowners

• Marginalised members of the farming brethren

• Households that are a part of primitive tribal groups

• People employed as rickshaw pullers, daily labourers, etc

• They should not be above 65 years of age

• They must not have a stable source of income

• People earn their livelihood on a daily basis by working in informal sectors

In case you end up moving to a new city, you’d need your ration card to be transferred as well. In order to do this, you can send an application to the nearest ration office in your jurisdiction stating that you need your ration card to be transferred. 

 

You need to submit an application, proof of your new address and pay the application fee. After your application has been processed, your ration card transfer will begin.

Renew your ration card by following these simple steps:

• Head over to the ration card Seva Kendra near you

• Complete the Aadhaar-based biometric verification process. This does not apply to children below the age of 5 years.

• Pay the service fee as requested by the authorities to initiate the process

By holding a ration card you can:

• Get food supplies at subsidised rates from a ration shop

• Use it as an official proof of identity and address for

  • Applying for a PAN card

  • Opening a bank account and making money transfers

  • Getting a new Voter ID

  • Buying a new SIM card

  • Applying for a passport

  • Getting a driving licence

  • Enjoying the benefits of various government schemes

  • Getting a new LPG connection, etc.

The various types of ration cards available in India should give you a fair idea of the strong Public Distribution System (PDS) we have in the country. Each type of ration card comes with its own benefits and eligibility criteria. To benefit from the PDS network in place, check which card you are eligible for and apply for the same.

 

You can even use your ration card as a proof of identity or address when you borrow funds from banks and NBFCs. If you are planning to check off the goal of owning a house, visit Bajaj Markets today to avail a home loan at competitive interest rates.