Food Security Card – Eligibility and Application Procedure
Food Security Card – Eligibility and Application Procedure
The Food Security Card or Food Security Ration Card is a legal document that entitles the cardholders to obtain the commodities (rice, sugar, fertilizers, kerosene, LPG) at very subsidized costs in Telangana. The Food Security Ration Card is a multipurpose document that serves as an identity proof for the cardholder and the whole family.
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)
Indian Government launched the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in 1997, with a focus on the poor. TPDS aims to provide subsidized food and fuel to the poor through a network of ration shops. Food grains such as rice and wheat that are supplied under TPDS are procured from farmers, allocated to states and delivered to the ration shop where the beneficiary buys his entitlement. Government identifying the poor, procuring grains and delivering food grains to them.
Categorization of Beneficiaries
Under TPDS, beneficiaries were divided into three categories:
APL – Households above the poverty line
APL households were not identified, and any household above the poverty line could typically apply for an APL ration card
BPL – Households below the poverty line
BPL beneficiaries are covered under TPDS. They will be provided with a Food Security Ration Card.
Anthodia Anna Yojana (AAY)
The AAY scheme was launched in December 2000 for the poorest among the BPL families. Individuals in the following priority groups are entitled to an FSC card.
- Landless agricultural labourers
- Marginal farmers
- Rural artisans or craftsmen such as potters and tanners,
- Slum-dwellers,
- Persons earning their livelihood daily in the informal sector such as porters, rickshaw pullers, cobblers,
- Destitute
- Households headed by widows or terminally ill persons disabled persons, persons aged 60 years or more with no assured means of subsistence
- All primitive tribal households.
Entitlements under TPDS
Entitlements under TPDS Eligible beneficiaries are entitled to subsidized food grains such as wheat and rice. Below table indicates the benefits across categories.
Number of beneficiaries and entitlements
| Category |
Number of beneficiaries (crore families) |
Entitlement of foodgrains (kg/family) |
|
AAY |
2.43 |
35 kg |
|
BPL |
4.09 |
35 kg |
|
APL |
18.04 |
15 – 35 kg |
National Food Security Act, 2013
In September 2013, Parliament enacted the National Food Security Act, 2013. The Act relies mostly on the existing TPDS to deliver food grains as legal entitlements to poor households.
- The eligible persons are entitled to receive 5 Kgs of food grains per person per month at subsidized prices of Rs. 3, 2 or 1 per Kg for rice, wheat or coarse grains.
- The existing (AAY) households will continue to receive 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.
- The Act also has a particular focus on the nutritional support to women and children. Besides meal to pregnant women and lactating mothers during pregnancy and six months after the childbirth, such women are also being entitled to receive maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000.
- Children up to 14 years of age must have nutritious meals as per the prescribed nutritional standards.
- In case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals, the beneficiaries will Under National Food Security act Telangana government implanted TPDS through it EPDS Food Security Card.
EPDS – Food Security Card
As per National Food Security act, Telangana government implanted TPDS through its EPDS Food Security Card:
- Food Security Card ensures that the poor people to receive wheat, sugar, rice, kerosene, LPG, fertilizers, etc. at very affordable costs in Telangana.
- A network of Fair Price Shops has been set up by the Government to help citizens (holder of Food Security Ration Card) to procure the essential commodities at affordable, subsidized prices.
- Food Security Ration is a multipurpose card; it can be linked to the Aadhaar card and the bank account of the cardholder.
- The food security card is an important Identity document of the family.
Eligibility to get Food Security Ration Card
Before applying for a ration card in the state of Telangana, make sure to fulfil the following eligibility conditions:
- The applicant must not already have a holder of FSC
- Citizens belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society
- Couples who recently got married in the state of Telangana
- Holder of temporary ration cards or expired cards
Identification of the Eligibility
Step 1: Identification of the households that come under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).
Step 2: Secondly, all remaining families who do not come under the AAY category are identified as belonging to the priority households under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
The Gram Panchayat and the Gram Sabhas lay a crucial role in helping identify the families that live below the poverty line, i.e. the BPL families. This is based on several factors that are laid down by the state government as well as the Union Government.
Obtain a Food Security Card in Telangana
Documents Required
- Application form
- Aadhaar proof document
- Address proof document
Fee for New Food Security Card
- Service charge – Rs.30
- Statutory Charge – Nil
- Total – Rs.35
Food Security Card Processing Time
It can generally take 30 days.
Apply for a Food Security Card
Follow the below mention steps to apply for a Food Security Card EPDS in Telangana.
Step 1: To apply the applicant is required to visit http://www.tg.meeseva.gov.in/DeptPortal/UserInterface/LoginForm.aspx
Step 2: Download the Telangana new food security card application form from the Application form link. Go to Civil Supplies and select “Application for New food Security Card”.
Step 3: In the application form, the applicant has to select the type of card. Mark a tick on FSC box
Application for New Food Security Card
Step 4: Now, the applicant must fill up some details mentioned below.
- Aadhaar Number
- Head of the family
- Father or Spouse Name
- Gender
- Social Status
- Gas Connection details
- Residential Address
- Member Details
- Informant details
Step 5: Now, the applicant needs to carry the duly filled application form along with required documents to the MeeSeva Centre near to them.
Check Status of Food Security Card
The procedure to check the status of a Food Security card in Telangana is quite simple.
Step 1: First of all, the applicant needs to visit the official website of EPDS in Telangana is https://epds.telangana.gov.in.
Step 2: After logging in to the official website, the next step is the Food Security Ration card search. For that, the applicant needs to click on the option that says FSC Search.
Step 3: Select the option that reads “FSC Application Search.”
Step 4: Select the district from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: Now, the applicant needs to enter the Application number.
Step 6: After entering the Application number, go to the search button to get the status.
The details of the Food Security EPDS Telangana Ration Card status displays on the screen.
Download Food Security Ration Card
Step 1: Visit website of EPDS in Telangana is https://epds.telanganagov.in
Step 2: From the right-hand side menu, click on FSC Search.
Step 3: Now Click on FSC search.
Step 4: Select the district
Step 5: Then the applicant has to enter FSR ref number or Ration card number or Old ration card number to search the card.
If the name exists in the Telangana Ration Card list, then the applicant is eligible to download food security ration card.
