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One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)

Topics Covered:  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 

One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): 

Context: 

The Supreme Court has directed all states and UTs to implement the One Nation, One Ration Card system. 

 

What is One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)? 

The ONORC scheme is aimed at enabling migrant workers and their family members to buy subsidised ration from any fair price shop anywhere in the country under the National Food Security Act, 2013. 

  • ONORC was launched in August, 2019. 
  • Till date, 32 states and Union Territories have joined the ONORC, covering about 69 crore NFSA beneficiaries. Four states are yet to join the scheme — Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and West Bengal. 

 

Implementation: 

To promote this reform in the archaic Public Distribution System (PDS), the government has provided incentives to states. 

The Centre had even set the implementation of ONORC as a precondition for additional borrowing by states during the Covid-19 pandemic last year. 

  • At least 17 states, which implemented the ONORC reform, were allowed to borrow an additional Rs 37,600 crores in 2020-21. 

 

How does ONORC work? 

  • ONORC is based on technology that involves details of beneficiaries’ ration card, Aadhaar number, and electronic Points of Sale (ePoS). 
  • The system identifies a beneficiary through biometric authentication on ePos devices at fair price shops. 
  • The system runs with the support of two portals —Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) and Annavitran, which host all the relevant data. 

 

National Food Security Act, 2013: 

The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA 2013) converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of the Government of India. 

  • It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System. 
  • It recognizes maternity entitlements. 

 

Insta Curious: 

Do you recollect Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav? Read Here

 

InstaLinks: 

Prelims Link: 

  1. About TPDS. 
  2. Who gets food security allowance under the scheme? 
  3. Provisions of penalty under the act. 
  4. Maternity benefits related provisions. 
  5. Overview of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. 
  6. Overview of Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme. 
  7. The responsibility of 3. Identification of Households under the scheme. 

Mains Link: 

Discuss the significance National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. 

Sources: Indian Express.