Income cap for ration cards raised to Rs 2.50 lakh

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: You can apply for a ration card if your annual income does not exceed Rs 2.50 lakh, and if your family does not have any government job holder. It is possible following the modifications brought by the Assam Government in the issuance of ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

Earlier, the cut-off mark of annual income for getting ration cards under the NFSA was Rs 1 lakh. This cap in annual income deprives a large number of the rural and urban populace of food grains under the Act.

The government took a policy decision last year to raise the annual income cut-off mark for NFSA to Rs 2.50 lakh. The government sought suggestions and objections from the public on this policy decision. It received no objections. Public opinion is a must for bringing any amendment to the NFSA Rules. The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department then issued a notification (Assam Food Security Amendment Rules 2022) regarding the enhancement of the annual income cap.

Denying government employees benefits under the NFSA was in the original rule of the Act.

Applications for ration cards under the amended rule have started in the state. According to the amended rule, deputy commissioners shall approve the final lists of beneficiaries under the NDFA Act with the approval of the guardian ministers concerned. The principal secretaries of autonomous councils will approve such lists in Sixth Schedule areas with the approval of the CEMs (Chief Executive Members) and guardian ministers concerned.

According to the NFSA, 75 per cent of rural and 50 per cent of the urban population get rations cards. This criterion will allow around 50 lakh new beneficiaries to get ration cards. Issuance of new ration cards remained stopped in the state for the past year.

The state had around 2.08 crore NFSA beneficiaries till September 2022.

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