Obtaining a Ration card

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How to obtain a ration card (December 2009) - By Gaurang Damani

There is a survey being conducted by the rationing office to verify validity of your rationing card and weed out bogus cards. The following has to be submitted before 10^th January 2010:

· Basic information form to be filled in Hindi or Marathi (so spelling mistakes are not made when they translate from English). This form can be obtained and submitted at your local rationing shop.

· Attested true copy of address proof (Electric bill, bank pass book, election voter’s ID etc.)

· Attested true copy of existing ration card

· Head of the family photograph

Other basic information

You can obtain an application for ration cards from your ration office or district office. There are three types cards, Yellow, orange and white. The yellow cards are given to families below the poverty line. Orange card is for those having an annual income between Rs.15,000/- and Rs.1 Lakh. Those families having an annual income of over Rs.1 Lakh are given white cards.

The Food and Civil Supplies Department of the state government controls the functioning of the PDS (Public Distribution System) and policy decisions are taken by the Rationing Controller. Card holders should not be intimated by threats made by the rationing shopkeeper. He has no powers to seize, change or cancel their cards. Also, do not involve any middlemen who approach you.

Listed below are the various types of forms to be filled up by card holders:

· To obtain a new ration card, fill up form No. 1, attach all the required documents and pay a fee of Rs.5/- only.

· For adding names to an existing card, fill up from No. 8

· For deleting names from the card, fill up Form No. 9 and get a certificate from the ration office to this effect.

· To replace a lost or mutilated ration card, fill up from No. 15.

· For other alternations such as change of address fill up from No. 14.

· If nobody belonging to applicants family is found present at the time of door visits by the officer, then the processing may get delayed. But, after maximum 2 door visits; if nobody belonging to applicants family is found present, then application will be disposed off.

Consumer Guidance Society of India reports that, to obtain a ration card applicants do not need to have a fixed residence. Tenants, sub-tenants, pavement dwellers, temporary construction workers, contract labour and hostels can all obtain ration cards after inspection to verify produce a "no objection" certificate from the owner of the premises.

If a card holder is moving from one locality of greater Mumbai to another, there is no need to surrender his card. A slip giving the address of the rationing office for the new residence, reference number and the number of the new ration shop will be attached to his ration card by the rationing office. The card holder should first go to his change of residence.

If the card holder is moving to Mumbai from districts or from outside the state, he will have to get a surrender slip from his old rationing office and present it at the new rationing office. If the card holder did not have a ration card in his former home he will have to get a certificate from the 'talathi' of his district to this effect. In case where documentary evidence cannot be produced, the Rationing Inspector will inspect the home, verify the statement of the applicant and issue a temporary card.

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