Now, apply for ration cards online

Source : Bangaloremirror.com

Barely two months after troubling citizens in her bid to crack down on illegal LPG connections, food and civil supplies minister Shobha Karandlaje has returned. This time, she is targeting illegal ration cards.

Starting from Saturday, citizens must mandatorily apply for ration cards online. They cannot submit written applications. Also, no documents are needed to submit online applications. All this means, one need not queue up in government offices.

Applicants must log on to the food and civil supplies department's website http://ahara.kar.nic.in, fill in the details and click to submit their applications.

What if an applicant does not have internet at home? He/she can apply from an internet centre or pay Rs 10 to avail internet at the nearest office of the food and civil supplies department.

Those whose ration cards were found to be valid during the verification of LPG gas connections need not apply.

No choice
What if a citizen doesn’t want a ration card? He/she has  no choice. It is mandatory for every citizen to have a ration card.

The food and civil supplies department has taken over the task of issuing ration cards from a private agency, which bungled the entire project a year ago. Shoba said the application process had gone online to prevent illegal ration cards, which eventually eat into the government's finances. "We hope online application for ration cards will be effective," she said.

cards linked to rr numbersThe food and civil supplies department has linked ration cards to RR numbers of electricity meters to weed out illegal ration cards. Towards this end, it has taken over the data bank handled by the National Informatics Centre.

Though applicants are not supposed to submit photocopies of valid documents, they must possess them to fill details like RR number. Details like ward number, food department zone can be known by checking valid ration cards of your neighbours or contacting the nearest fair price depot.