67% jump in number of beneficiaries of one nation, one ration card scheme in Delhi

This is a significant increase — of 66.66% — from last year when around 18 lakh beneficiaries registered under this scheme between January and December 2022. This jump also indicates that the number of people from outside Delhi under Below Poverty Line (BPL) getting ration has also increased, said officials.

The Economic Survey of Delhi, 2022-23, had shown that the national capital accounted for 70% of all OROC transactions in India since the scheme’s implementation in 2021.

Under the ONORC scheme, 5,21,994 migrants, on an average, received ration in 2022-23, the report said.
The ONORC scheme was implemented in Delhi on July 19, 2021, with installation of e-PoS (electronic-point of sale) devices at fair price shops.

In Delhi, ration is distributed through e-PoS devices after biometric (Aadhaar) authentication of beneficiaries. The scheme provides intra-state and inter-state portability of ration cards and enables migrant beneficiaries to access the public distribution system (PDS).

Under Delhi’s PDS, 5 kilograms (kg) foodgrains — 4 kg wheat and 1 kg rice — and 1 kg sugar per person is distributed to all food card holders per month.

“The scheme is successful on the ground. The only problem we face on a frequent basis is the server. Almost all shops now have the biometric system and distribute ration through this system only. Sometimes, it (the glitch) gets resolved in 30 minutes but there are days when it goes down for the whole day due to which people return home empty handed,” said Saurabh Gupta, general secretary, Delhi Ration Dealers’ Sangh.