The Department of Food and Public Distribution has written to all State governments to launch a special drive to issue ration cards to the vulnerable and economically weakest section. This comes after the Ministry received grievances that such citizens, who are in dire need of food grains cannot get ration cards.

Stating that while the targeted public distribution system is operated under the joint responsibility of central and States governments, DFPD added that operational responsibilities for reaching out, identifying and issuing ration cards lie with state and UT governments under the National Food Security Act. However, in the pandemic scenario, ensuring all eligible citizen from the vulnerable and economically weakest section becomes even more important, it added.

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In its letter to the State governments, the Ministry directed state governments to reach out to street dwellers, rag pickers, hawkers, rickshaw pullers, migrant labours, who may find it difficult to procure ration cards due to lack of address proof.

“The Department of Food and Public Distribution has issued an advisory to all States/UTs to launch a special drive to reach out, identify & issue NFSA ration cards to the most vulnerable and economically weakest sections of the population in urban and rural areas, by utilizing the available coverage under their respective NFSA limits,” a statement from the Ministry added.

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