Aadhaar and Ration Card: Online and Offline Linking

The Indian Government has recently made it mandatory to link a 12-digit unique identification number, also known as the Aadhaar number, with various services and documents. These include bank accounts, PAN cards, and mobile phone numbers. The latest addition to this list is the ration card.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about linking the Ration Card with the Aadhaar number. This includes the steps to the Ration Aadhar link both offline and online.

What is a Ration Card?

A ration card is a government-issued document that lets people buy food grains from the Public Distribution System (PDS) at a discount. As per the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, eligible households are entitled to 5 kg of food grains per month. A total of 81 crore people in India are currently covered under the NFSA.

Two Ration cards are issued in India – Above Poverty Line (APL) cards and Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards. APL Ration Cards are issued to households that do not fall under the poverty line as defined by the government. On the other hand, BPL Ration Cards are issued to households that fall below the poverty line.

Ration cards are an important document as they help in availing various services provided by the government. For example, a person with a ration card can take advantage of programmes like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and the Ayushman Bharat—Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

Why is Linking Ration Cards with Aadhaar Online Necessary?

The government has made it mandatory to link the Ration Card with the Aadhaar. The main reason is to weed out fake and duplicate Ration Cards. There are approximately 3 crore fake ration cards in India, according to estimates. Linking Ration Cards with Aadhaar will help the government weed out these fake cards and save on subsidies under the NFSA.

Another reason for the Ration Aadhaar Link is that it will help directly transfer subsidies to eligible card holders. Earlier, subsidies used to be given either in kind or in cash through Fair Price Shops (FPSs). With the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) program, subsidies are now sent straight to the bank accounts of people who are eligible.

To avail of the benefits of the DBT scheme, it is necessary to link the Ration Card with the Aadhaar card. This is because a bank account can be linked with the Ration card only if the Ration Card is linked with the Aadhaar number.

How To Link a Ration Card With Aadhar? 

The government has provided two options to link the Ration card with the Aadhaar, and you can either do it offline or online; we have explained both methods below.

Linking Ration card with Aadhaar offline 

The process of linking Ration cards with Aadhaar offline can be done by visiting the nearest Public Distribution System (PDS) shop. The following documents are required for the process:

• Ration Card

• Aadhaar number

• Bank account details linked with the Aadhaar number

The PDS shopkeeper will ask for these documents from the applicant. After verifying all the details, the shopkeeper will complete the seeding process. The applicant will then get an SMS letting them know that the ration card has been linked to their Aadhaar.

Link Ration Card With Aadhar Online:

The process of linking Ration Cards with Aadhaar online can be done by visiting the official website of the National Food Security Act. The following steps need to be followed for the process:

• Visit the official website and click on the “Aadhaar Seeding” option under the “Citizen Services” tab.
• Enter the required details, such as state, district, sub-district, block, and village/city.
• A list of PDS shops will be displayed on the screen, from which you must select your shop.
• Enter your Ration Card number and click on the “Show Details” option.
• The details of the head of the family, along with the members’ names, will be displayed on the screen.
• Enter the 12-digit Aadhaar number against each member’s name and click on the ‘Submit’ button.
• You will receive an OTP (One Time Password) on the registered mobile number. Enter this OTP in the given space and click on the “Validate and Save” button.
• A confirmation message will be displayed on the screen once the Ration Card is successfully linked to the Aadhaar.

It is important to note that if someone does not have a mobile number registered with Aadhaar, they will have to visit the nearest PDS shop for seeding.

• It is important to note that you can link a Ration Card with the Aadhaar number only if you have a valid and active Ration Card. If the Ration Card has expired or has been cancelled, you will not be able to link it with the Aadhaar number. 
• You can link only one Ration Card with an Aadhaar number, and the process will get rejected if somebody tries to link more than one Ration Card with the Aadhaar number.

Advantages of linking Ration Card with Aadhaar

There are many advantages to linking Ration Cards with Aadhaar:

• It makes sure that the benefits of government programmes are only given to the people who are entitled to them.
• It eliminates the possibility of counterfeit and duplicate ration cards.
• It helps curb corruption as there is no scope for intermediaries or agents.
• It enables transparency and efficiency in the system.
• It saves time as the process of authentication becomes easier and quicker.

Thus, it is beneficial for citizens and the government to link Ration Cards with Aadhaar.

Conclusion 

These steps need to be followed to link the Ration Card with the Aadhaar number. It is important to note that linking the Ration Card with Aadhaar is voluntary and not required if someone does not want to. 

However, we suggest linking the Ration Card with Aadhaar, as it will help you avail of the benefits of the DBT scheme. Linking the Ration Card with Aadhaar is simple and easy, and it can be done both offline and online. If you need more guidance and assistance with this, visit Piramal Finance. This online platform is what you need to learn everything about relevant developments in the world of finance. For more information on financial matters or about personal loans, credit cards, and financial management, check out more blogs on their website!