Food Security Card: Application Procedure, Rules and Eligibility in Delhi and Telanagana

Food Security Card: Introduction

Food Security Card or Ration Card is essentially a legal document via which the cardholders can obtain day-to-day commodities such as Rice, Wheat, Fertilizers, Sugar, Kerosene, LPG at subsidized costs. The ration card is indeed a multi-purpose document which can serve as an identity proof for the holder of this card. The food security card can also serve as an identity proof for the family of the cardholder. In this article, we’re going to look at the application procedure, eligibility and all things related to the food security card in two states: Delhi and Telangana.

Purpose of Food Security Card

As mentioned above,  the food security ration card is an essential document which can be used for identity, as well as, address verification. In addition to this, the food security card can also be used as an identification proof for applying for other legal documents such as domicile certificate,  income certificate, as well as, essential documents such as Pan Card, driver’s license etc.

TPDS and Types of Food Security Cards

In the year 1997, the Government of  India initiated the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) keeping in mind the poor sections of the society. TPDS basically focuses to provide food and fuel at subsidized rates through a network of established ration shops. Beneficiary buys the entitlement from the ration shops, the supply of such materials is done by materials produced from farmers and then allocated to then allocated to the particular state. This delivery of food grains comes as a result of recognition and identification of a poorer sect of our society.

The types of different kinds of food security cards depend upon the type of beneficiaries making use of such utilities. The categorization of the Food Security Cards is as follows:

• Above Poverty Line (APL) – These were not identified by the TPDS and anyone above the TOTAL YEARLY income of ₹1,00,000 can apply for the APL Ration Card.
• Below Poverty Line (BPL)- Families having a total family income below ₹24,200 per annum have been identified to be under this category.
• Antyodya Anna Yojana (AAY) – Households with a disabled adult and no assured prospects for subsistence, landless laborers, marginal farmers, craftsmen, artisans, widows, as well as, terminally ill persons will benefit from the provisions of this scheme. In addition to this following people will also be benefitting from this scheme:
  • Landless agricultural laborers
  • Marginal farmers
  • Slum dwellers,
  • Persons earning their livelihood on a daily basis in the informal sector such as porters, rickshaw pullers, cobblers,
  • Destitute
  • Households headed by widows or terminally ill persons disabled persons, persons aged 60 years or more with no assured means of subsistence
  • All primitive tribal households.
• Annapurna Yojana(AY)- Under this scheme, a destitute person aged over 65 without any mode of income and not benefitting from the National Old Age Pension or State Pension Scheme are entitled to 10kg of foodgrains free cost of every month.

TPDS Entitlement for Beneficiaries

The TPDS  has been put in place to provide citizens with food and fuel. Under the scheme, the beneficiaries are entitled to the subsidized food grains. Here’s a list of all the entitlements.

EPDS- Food Security Card

The Telangana  government implemented the manifestation of the TPDS through the provision of the EPDS Food Security Card

• Card ensures that the poor people receive the minimum basic amenities for sustenance such as wheat, sugar, rice, kerosene, LPG, fertilizers etc at very nominal costs in Telangana
• Fair Price Shops have been set up by the government to help the citizens (food security card holders) in order to facilitate the delivery of such commodities to the beneficiaries
• The card serves multiple purposes, it can be linked to the Aadhar  Card, as well as, to the bank aaccountof the card holder.
• Important document for the identity of the entire family

As per National Food Security act, Telangana government implanted TPDS through it EPDS Food Security Card.

• Food Security Card ensures that the poor people to receive wheat, sugar, rice, kerosene, LPG, fertilizers, etc at very affordable costs in Telangana.
• A network of Fair Price Shops has been set up by the Government to help citizens (holder of Food Security Ration Card) to procure the essential commodities at affordable, subsidized prices.
• Food Security Ration is multipurpose card; it can be linked to the Aadhaar card and to the bank account of the cardholder.
• Food Security card is an important Identity document of the family.

Eligibility  for Food Security Card Telangana

In order to apply for the ration card in the state of Telangana, there are some eligibility criteria that have to be met by the family/household. Here are the eligibility criteria for the same.

• Applicant shouldn’t already be in possession of another FSC
• Citizens should be belonging to the weaker sections of the society
• Couples recently married in the state of Telangana
• A holder of the temporary card or an expired card.

Identification of Eligibility

Step 1: Identification of Households that come under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).

Step 2:  Remaining families not under the AAY category will be identified as belonging to the priority households under the Targeted Public Distribution System

The governing bodies of the Gram Panchayat, as well as, the Gram Sabha play a pivotal role to help identify the families living below the poverty line i.e. BPL Families. Based on a number of factors that are laid down by the state governing bodies in conjunction with the Union Government.

Getting a Food Security Card in Telangana

Documents

• Prerequisite  Application Form
• Aadhar Proof Document
• Address Proof Document

Fees For Food Security Card

Service Charge ₹ 35 + Statutory Charge ₹ 0= Grand Total ₹35

Food Security  Card Processing Time

It generally takes a time frame of 30 days for processing of the Food Security Card

Apply Food Security Card Telangana

In Telangana, the application for the Food Security card is processed via the Mee Seva Portal.

“MeeSeva” in Telugu means, ‘At your service’, i.e. service to citizens. It is a good governance initiative that incorporates the vision of National eGov Plan “Public Services Closer to Home” and facilitates a single entry portal for the entire range of G2C& G2B services.

The objective of MeeSeva is to provide smart, citizen-centric, ethical, efficient and effective governance facilitated by technology. The initiative involves universal and non-discriminatory delivery of all government services to citizens & Businessmen of all strata and improved efficiency, transparency and accountability for the government. The initiative features transformed government-citizen interface at all levels of administration along with a shared governance model.

Steps to Apply for Food Security Card

Step 1: In order to apply the Mee Seva portal of the Telangana Government at http://www.tg.meeseva.gov.in/DeptPortal/UserInterface/LoginForm.aspx

Step 2:  Download the  Telangana new Food Security Card Application from the Application Form link.

Step 3: In the application form you have to mention the type of Card. Mark the FSC Box

Step 4:  Following are some of the details to be mentioned

• Aadhaar Number
• Head of the family
• Father/Spouse Name
• Gender
• Social Status
• Gas Connection details
• Residential Address
• Member Details
• Informant details

Check Food Security Card Status

Step 1: Visit the website  of EPDS in  Telangana at this link  https://epds.telangana.gov.in/FoodSecurityAct/

Step 2: Login to the website with the credentials, Next step is to look for Food Security ration Card Search . Click the link saying FSC Search

Step 3: Select “FSC Application Search ”

Step 4: Select District from the drop-down menu

Step 5:  Enter Application Number

Step 6: After entering, click on the search status option

Details of the Food Security Card will be displayed

Download Food Security Card (Ration Card)

Step 1: Visit website of EPDS  in Telangana  on this site https://epds.telangana.gov.in/

Step 2: Click on FSC Search and then FSC Search

Step3:  Select your district

Step 4:  Enter  FSR reference number or the Ration Card Number. If the name exists in the ration card list, you will be eligible to download the card.

Ration Card/ Food Security Card in Delhi

In Delhi, the issuing of the Ration Card comes under the jurisdiction of Department of Food, Supplies,  and Consumer Affairs, GNCT of Delhi.

The Department was established in 1962 and discharges the important responsibilities of managing the Public Distribution of, and trade and commerce in essential commodities with a view to maintain or increase supplies thereof and secure their equitable distribution and availability at fair prices by enforcing the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and various Control Orders made thereunder.

The Department is implementing NFSA 2013. The Highly subsidized Food Grains as prescribed under Act are being supplied every month to eligible households

Eligibility Criteria

All families residing under the state of Delhi are eligible for obtaining the Ration Card. The benefits gained by the household are determined by the type of the card applied for. Households having an income of less than ₹ 1,00,00 annually will be considered for inclusion in the NFS. The eldest woman will be made the head of the family under the National Food Security card.

The procedure of Ration Card Delhi

Online

Step 1:  Visit the official website of the Department of Food, Supplies,  and Consumer Affairs, GNCT of Delhi.

Step 2:  Apply for a new registration or log in using your existing login credentials

Step 3: Click on the application form  for Food Security under the  National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

Step 4: You will be forwarded to an application form as shown.

Step 5: Fill up the form with all relevant details, upload relevant documents and click the Apply Online button and get the acknowledgment number

Offline

Download and Fill up the form shown below

Submit the application to the center and get the acknowledgment reciept from the clerk

Track Application Status

All applicants who successfully apply for Ration Card in Delhi can track the application status of their ration card by using this link.After this, fill out one of the four options. If your ration card has been successfully created, you would be able to view all the details.

Download E-Ration Card

The applicants, whose ration card has been successfully created, can download their e-ration card by following the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the official website using this link.

Step 2: After that, fill in all the details like ration card number, home head’s name, etc.

Step 3: An OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number. Enter the OTP and the base number.

Step 4: e-Ration Card will be downloaded in PDF format. You can take a print of it.

Grievance Redressal

The government has also established a grievance redressal portal for disgruntled citizens to report their complaints.

Follow this link to lodge a complaint or grievance https://www.pgms.delhi.gov.in/Home1.aspx 

Laws Governing the National Food Security Card

There are a few rules and regulations governing the issuing of and deciding the provisions of the Food Safety Cards in India. These rules are namely:

• National Food  Security Act, 2013
• Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and rules, 1987
• The Essential Commodities Act, 1955

National Food Security Act, 2013

The National Food Security Act, 2013 was enacted in September of 2013. The Act outlines the need for existing TPDS to deliver food grains  as part of legal entitlements to poor households

• Entitlement for receiving 5 kgs of food grains per person per month at subsidized prices of ₹ 3/2/1 per kg of Coarse grains/ Rice / Wheat.
• AAY households receive 35 Kg of Food Grains per household per month
• Added attention is given to the nutritional support to women and children
• Meals to pregnant women, lactating mothers during pregnancy, and also up to six months after childbirth will receive the maternity benefit not amounting to more than ₹ 6,000
• Children up to the age of 14 years will benefit from the entitlement of nutritious food as per prescribed nutritional standards.

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 Rules, 1987

The Consumer Protection Bill, 1986 seeks to provide for better protection of the interests of consumers and for the purpose, to make provision for the establishment of Consumer councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumer disputes and for matter connected therewith.

It seeks, to promote and protect the rights of consumers such as-

• the right to be protected against the marketing of goods which are hazardous to life and property;
• the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices;
• the right to be assured, wherever possible, access to the authority of goods at competitive prices;
• the right to be heard and to be assured that consumers interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums;
• the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers; and
• Right to consumer education.

Essential Commodities Act, 1955

If the Central Government is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do for maintaining or increasing supplies of any essential commodity or for securing their equitable distribution and availability at fair prices, [ 12 or for securing any essential commodity for the defense of India or the efficient conduct of military operations 12 ], it may, by order, provide for regulating or prohibiting the production, supply and distribution thereof and trade and commerce therein.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), an order made thereunder may provide, –

(a) for regulating by licenses, permits or otherwise the production or manufacture of any essential commodity;

(b) for bringing under cultivation any waste or arable land, whether appurtenant to a building or not, for the growing thereon of food-crops generally or of specified food-crops, and for otherwise maintaining or increasing the cultivation of food-crops generally, or of specified foods-crops;

(c) for controlling the price at which any essential commodity may be bought or sold;

(d) for regulating by licenses, permits or otherwise the storage, transport, distribution, disposal, acquisition, use or consumption of, any essential commodity;

(e) for prohibiting the withholding from sale of any essential commodity ordinarily kept for sale;

(f) [ 13 for requiring any person holding in stock, or engaged in the production, or in the business of buying or selling, of any essential commodity, –

(a) to sell the whole or a specified part of the quantity held in stock or produced or received by him, or

(b) in the case of any such commodity which is likely to be produced or received by him, to sell the whole or a specified part of such commodity when produced or received by him, to the Central Government or a State Government or to an officer or agent of such Government or to a Corporation owned or controlled by such Government or to such other person or class of persons and in such circumstances as may be specified in the other.

 

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