Parliament Question: Automatic Transfer of Ration Cards

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2879 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5TH AUGUST, 2026 AUTOMATIC TRANSFER OF RATION CARDS 2879 DR. RAJESH MISHRA: Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state: (a) whether there is any national policy for automatic transfer of Ration cards and food security eligibility slips of those poor families who got displaced due to Coal India Limited projects; (b) if so, whether the Government proposes to make such a system at the national level so that these poor families receive ration at the new place of rehabilitation immediately after displacement without any administrative delay; (c) the details of special foodgrain scheme prepared by the Government for thousands of poor ration card holders living in Morwa area (Singrauli) where large scale displacement is taking place due to Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) mine expansion plans; and (d) the special instructions issued for the NCL management and local administration of the area in this regard? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA) (a) & (b): The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State Governments, where the responsibility for identification of beneficiaries, within the coverage determined for the State/UT and issuance of their ration cards rests with the concerned States/UTs. The State Government prescribes procedures for issuing or modifying ration cards, on account of changes like shifting residence, births, deaths, or category updates. Hence, the responsibility for issuing or modifying ration cards on account of displacement of beneficiaries rests with the concerned State /UTThrough the technology-driven reform of One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), PMGKAY beneficiaries are empowered to lift their entitled foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice, anywhere in the country, by using their existing ration card with biometric authentication on an electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) device. Currently, the ONORC feature is enabled in all 36 States/UTs, across the country, covering almost 100% PMGKAY beneficiaries. As of date, more than 221 Crore portability transactions (including migrant labourers) have been recorded under ONORC (c) & (d): There is no special food grain scheme for Morwa area (Singrauli) under NFSA and therefore no special instructions have been issued by the DFPD for NCL Management and Local administration of the area. +8888