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On September 12, 2020, CMO Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh launched the Smart Ration Card scheme in the state. This scheme aims to empower the beneficiaries to buy from any ration card depot across the state thereby reducing corruption. The ration card holder will be eligible to buy the food grains from any ration shop across the state thus they would be freed from the exploitation from certain ration shops. The main aim of the scheme is to create a corruption free mechanism of food distribution to the ration card holders in the state.
Scheme Overview:
| Scheme name: | Smart Ration Card Scheme |
| Scheme under: | Punjab Government |
| Launched By: | CMO Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh |
| Launch Date: | September 12, 2020 |
| Beneficiaries: | Ration card holders across the state |
| Benefit: | With the smart cards, ration card holders can obtain their quota of food grains from any ration shop across the state. |
| Major Objective: | To create a corruption free mechanism of food distribution through ration shops/ depots |
Scheme Objectives and Benefits:
- The main objective of the scheme is to provide food grains quota to the card holders from any ration shop/ depot across the state
- To avoid corruption in the food distribution mechanism
- This scheme will provide freedom to the card holders to obtain their quota from any ration shop
- It would end the exploitation of the card holders/ beneficiaries by the ration depot holders
- Smart cards will be issued and one card for one family will be enough
- Under the scheme, smart cards will be issued with the biometrics of the card holder which will be easy and safe to use.
Key Points:
- Smart Ration Card scheme is launched by the Punjab government mainly for the card holders across the state
- It aims at reducing corruption in the food distribution mechanism and ending the exploitation of the beneficiaries
- This scheme will provide subsidized food grains to the beneficiaries in the state
- Targeted beneficiaries are 1.41 crore in the state
- This scheme will aim at ending the monopoly on ration shops
- One card for one family will be enough
- At the time of launch of Smart Ration Card scheme, CM Amarinder Singh handed over 4 cards to the beneficiaries as a symbolic gesture
- Then, all the ministers deputy ministers distributed the smart cards to the beneficiaries in their respective districts
- State funded scheme is also announced which is to provide subsidized ration to 9 lakh beneficiaries not covered under National Food Security Law (NFSA). This scheme will be launched soon.
