One Nation, One Ration Card

Key Highlights:

• The One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme was launched in 2019 by the Department of Food & Public Distribution.
• It enables nationwide portability of ration cards for beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
• The scheme has been implemented across all 36 States/UTs, covering 100% of beneficiaries.
• ONORC facilitates approximately 3.27 crore portability transactions monthly, with over 233 crore total transactions since inception.
• More than 614 LMT of foodgrains have been distributed through portability transactions.
• The Mera Ration mobile application was launched to assist beneficiaries with access to important ration-related information and services.

Detailed Insights:

• ONORC is a major reform of the Public Distribution System (PDS), making foodgrain access seamless, portable, and nationwide.
• It strengthens social protection for migrant populations by allowing them to access foodgrain entitlements from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country.
• The government has complemented ration portability with digital authentication, data-driven targeting, and technology-enabled distribution to improve transparency.
• Ration card and beneficiary databases are 100% digitized across all States/UTs as of October 2026, covering around 78.65 crore beneficiaries.
• 98.8% of ration cards (20.27 crore) and 76.97 crore beneficiaries are Aadhaar-seeded, with 91% e-KYC completed as of September 30, 2026.
• 99.8% of 5.51 lakh FPSs are operational with e-PoS devices for transparent and efficient distribution.
• Rightful Targeting initiatives have led to the deletion of 2.58 crore duplicate or ineligible entries, ensuring benefits reach intended beneficiaries.
• NIRMAL and SAKSHAM initiatives, under the SARTHAK-PDS umbrella, strengthen data architecture and real-time data integration from procurement to distribution.
• The Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART-PDS), also under SARTHAK-PDS, digitally integrates various aspects of the PDS.
• The Mera Ration app is available in 13 languages and helps beneficiaries locate nearby FPSs and check their entitlements.

Key Concepts Involved:

• One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): A scheme enabling nationwide portability of ration cards, allowing beneficiaries to access foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop in India.
• National Food Security Act (NFSA): An Act that provides legal entitlements to subsidized food grains for eligible beneficiaries in India.
• Public Distribution System (PDS): A government-sponsored chain of shops that distributes essential commodities like food grains at subsidized prices to the poor.
• Fair Price Shop (FPS): Shops authorized by the government to distribute essential commodities under the PDS at subsidized rates.
• ePoS (Electronic Point of Sale): A device used at FPSs for authenticating beneficiaries and recording transactions digitally, enhancing transparency.