‘One Nation One Ration Card’ To Be Implemented Pan-India By March 2021, Migrant Workers To Get Affordable Rental Housing

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as part of her Atmanirbhar Bharat press-conference today (14 May) announced that the “One Nation One Ration Card” scheme would be implemented pan-India by March 2021.

This announcement was made as part of measures to benefit migrant workers.

Technology systems will be implemented which will allow migrant workers to collect ration from any fair price shop in the country. A total of 16 states and union territories have already joined the One Nation One Ration Card scheme.

As per the Finance Minister, 83 per cent of PDS population will be covered under the national portability scheme by August. All states and Union Territories will also complete the Fair Price Shop automation by March 2021.

This digitisation will ensure that a migrant worker can partially withdraw foodgrains from his family’s allocated quota in a remote location while his family members can then withdraw the rest at home.

Sitharaman additionally announced that the government will launch a scheme to provide affordable rental accommodation for migrant workers.

This scheme will be launched in the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana. Under this scheme government funded housing in the cities will be converted into Affordable Rental Housing Complexes via a PPP model.

Both government and private agencies will be incentivised to develop and operate such housing complexes.