Tatkaal cards no proof of address

“The ration card should not be confused with the multi-purpose identity card announced by the Centre,” he says, feeling that there will not be a rush of people seeking new ration cards from May 1. “There might be a slight enthusiasm initially because the employment department of the Delhi Government has decided that it would register the youth as unemployed only on the basis of the ration cards,” he felt.

According to the department’s statistics gathered till 1998, there are 25 lakh families in the city. But the number of cards issued was 30 lakhs. Officials feel that it is this gap of 5 lakh that could constitute the bogus cards in the city.

For new ration cards from May 1, a person will have to submit three photographs attested by the local MLA or MP and get a certificate stating that they are residing at the said address. While the cards would be issued in two days, the verification, to be done by the department’s officers, would begin from May 15.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Poornima Sethi had specified that if a card is found bogus on the basis of the documents given there would be penal action taken against the card-holder.

Sethi also said that there would be no cards issued for new slum-dwellers who have recently settled in Delhi and cards will be issued only to those who are in the 1993 voters list.

“That is the reason why we have not yet implemented the new Targetted Public Distribution System (TPDS). There will be no new cards for the slum-dwellers,” Sethuraman says. “And most of the rest already have ration cards, so there would not be an avalanche of applicants on May 1,” he feels.The department has 70 circles in the city each with 5 to 6 members and a Food and Supplies Officer (FSO) who would issue the card. The circles are co-terminus with the Assembly constituencies.