Smart ration cards to be issued from Aug 25: Manohar
- From Aug 25 to 31, 1.46 cr smart ration cards will be distributed free of cost to beneficiaries across the state, integrating a QR code for real-time transaction recording
- After resolving over 15.3 lakh applications for changes or additions, the total number of ration card beneficiaries has reached nearly 4.3 cr, with new distribution timings from the 1st to the 15th of each month
Vijayawada: Minister for food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs Nadendla Manohar announced on Tuesday that smart ration cards will be distributed across the state for a week, from August 25 to August 31. These cards will be provided free of cost to 1,45,97,486 beneficiaries statewide.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat’s publicity wing on Tuesday, Manohar stated that distribution events for these smart cards will be held in every constituency, led by local MLAs, at the district level by ministers, and at the state level by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.
Out of 16,08,612 applications received statewide for changes or additions to ration cards, 15,32,758 applications were positively resolved, with only 4.72 per cent being rejected. Through this process, 9,87,644 new individuals have registered their names, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 4,29,79,897. Of these, 2,68,23,200 beneficiaries will receive rations from the Central Government, and 1,61,56,697 from the State Government. This brings the total number of rice cards in the state to 1,45,97,486.
The cards are integrated with a dynamic key register via a QR code, ensuring that every transaction is recorded at the central office immediately. Once these QR code smart cards are implemented, ration goods will be distributed from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm daily, from the 1st to the 15th of every month, at all 26,796 ration shops across the state.
The minister also stated that the Deepam-2 scheme is being successfully implemented. In the first phase, 97.59 lakh free gas cylinders were distributed, and a subsidy of Rs 764 crore was deposited into beneficiaries’ bank accounts. In the second phase, which began in April this year, 93.46 lakh free gas cylinders have been distributed so far, with a subsidy of Rs 747 crore deposited into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
He informed that a pilot project has been implemented in NTR and Krishna districts to directly deposit the subsidy amount into beneficiaries’ accounts, as per Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision. Despite the large volume of transactions, only 4,516 transactions have failed so far, and 86,000 non-transferable accounts have been identified. The Minister requested all concerned beneficiaries to verify their bank account numbers and phone numbers.
Civil supplies department commissioner Saurabh Gaur was also present.
