Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launches e-ration service

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched the e-ration service through which people can apply and obtain ration cards and check availability of food grains and their costs, making Delhi the first in the country to launch the facility.

"It is our duty to ensure that every poor gets his/her food security. We know most of the ration cards do not reach the eligible holder as these are stocked by the ration card distributor who further misuses it.

"This e-ration card service will give solution to the problem of ration card distribution. As one applies for a ration card, he/she will get an update on mobile and can take out a printed copy of the card," Kejriwal said after launching the facility.

According to a senior government official, anyone can avail the facility of e-ration card on the Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs website (www.nfs.delhi.gov.in).

In the citizen corner of the portal, a user can apply online for food security. They can also track applications by putting their unique number. Once the verification of user is done then can get print-out of their e-ration card which will be valid like an e-ticket, the official said.

"This system will end corrupt practices of holding back ration cards and will ensure that the cards reach the needy and in time," SS Yadav, Commissioner of the Food and Supply Department, said. The print-out of ration card can also be taken from the offices of Delhi MLAs.

The dynamic website gives live update of number of people who have got food security. Similarly, a user can also check location of nearby Fair Price Shops (FPS) and quantity and rate of rations available at the shops. One can also avail the service through SMS.

"A user can check who all are eligible for food security and names of those who have availed the service. Users can also object if they find a non-eligible person is using the services. We have made the data available to the public. This is the most robust, transparent and user friendly portal for food security in the country," Yadav said.

According to the government, work of officers in 70 ration offices can be checked by the users through the website. The government is going to use technology to make ration distribution system more transparent.

"We will install tablets at all FPS which will show how much ration a family is getting and quantity of ration sold at that particular time. As soon a user buy ration he will get SMS information about quantity and rate at which he made his purchase. This system was introduced so that shop-keeper cannot manipulate or tamper his record," Chief Secretary K K Sharma said.

The department had recently started SMS service to inform beneficiaries at the beginning of a month that their ration has reached their nearby outlet. At the end of a month, the department takes a feedback by SMS. "In the first month we got over 15,000 replies who did not receive their ration. So investigated each case and have tightened the noose in the distribution channel," Yadav said.

"I admit not everyone knows how to take a print-out of ration card. But it is our responsibility to spread that this service is free and now no one will have to run from pillar to post to get a ration card. Else tout will again start taking money for free services," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.

Recalling his fight against ration mafia, Kejriwal said the RTI Act was introduced in 2002 and "from 2003 we started working in slums of Nand Nagri, Sundar Nagri, Seemapuri, Harsh Vihar and other areas. We filed RTI and took details of ration distribution register and found people named in the register never got ration. We used to take this detail to senior officers but no action was taken".

"In three years, seven times our members were attacked.

Our member Santosh was attacked in her neck another member fractured his nose. Even I got a threat call from a don in Uttar Prdaesh who threatened me to back off. We filed the petition in the Supreme Court against the attack made on us.

We never thought in our dreams that we will be able to make any change and now we are in government and I assure you we will keep working to ensure people get their rights," he said.

Kejriwal also warned corrupt ration distributors and said the government would adopt zero tolerance policy. "We will give chance to ration distributors to come up with their problem and we will address their issues. Still those found flouting rules, we will take strict action," the Chief Minister said.