How to get Ration Card in Maharashtra?

What is Ration Card?

In India, ration cards are primarily used when purchasing subsidized foodstuffs (wheat and rice) and fuel (LPG and kerosene). Ration Card in all the states is used as a legal document. The Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department has given the right to all citizens to apply for a ration card who permanently resides in the state. It assures the primary identity of a citizen’s name, age, and nationality. It is an important part of the Public Distribution System (PDS)

Toll-Free no: 1800224950 & 1967

Types of Ration card:

1. There are three types of Ration card which are issued by the state government based on the economic condition of the people. The three categories are
2. Above Poverty Line (APL)
3. Below Poverty Line (BPL)
4. Antyodaya Cards (AYY)
5. Citizens who fall in the category of BPL and AYY are provided special benefits to help them economically. They are provided loans for education, home, self-employment at a lower rate of interest. State Government provides food grains and fuel at lower prices to them

Benefits of Ration card:

1. Ration card can be used to buy different food grains and fuel from various rationing shops at lower prices
2. It also used to obtain other legal documents like driving license, voter Id card, domicile certificate, passport and many other documents
3. Ration card is used by the citizens to get food grains and fuel at the time of scarcity and war in the state
4. It can be used to obtain death certificate and birth certificate from the government authorities

Required eligibility to obtain Ration card:

1. The applicant and his or her family must be permanent residents of Maharashtra
2. The applicant and his or her family must belong to financial limit set by Maharashtra government to get Ration card
3. The applicant and his or her family must close relative

Document required for applying:

1. Passport size photographs of the head of the family
2. Applicants address proof (Voter Id card /water bill/electricity bill/telephone bill/passport)
3. Age certificate / Matric passed school certificate of family head
4. Aadhar Card/enrollment acknowledgment slip
5. If an applicant holds old ration card and want to apply for a new one than surrender certificate or deletion certificate for the last one is needed
6. Complete family information
7. Proof of the income

Offline application procedure to apply for Ration card in Maharashtra:

1. An applicant can apply for a ration card offline i.e. by hand. In this procedure, applicant has to follow some simple steps mentioned below
2. The first step is to collect the application form from the concerned area office or Rationing office. Also, the applicant can download the form by clicking this link mentioned next Click Here to Download Offline Application Form
3. 
4. Download and print it
5. Fill the application form properly along with documents mentioned below
6. The next step would be to put your signature at the bottom along with the date and make sure that you fill in the declaration section in the form which states that all the information mentioned in the form are correct.
7. After filling the form and attaching all the documents visit the nearer Ration card office and submit the form

Contact Details:

1. Dept. Name: Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection Department Postal Address: Mantralaya Annexe, Mumbai Pin Code: 400032 E-mail: helpline.mhpds@gov.in

References & details:

1. For more details regarding documents and other help please visit official website
2. Maharashtra Official website: http://mahafood.gov.in/website/english/home.aspx
3. Contact details: http://mahafood.gov.in/website/english/Sampark.aspx
4. Application form: http://mahafood.gov.in/website/english/Download.aspx
5. Ration card: http://www.archive.india.gov.in/howdo/service_detail.php?formid=314&service=7