Ration Card has been using incessantly since the Second World War in the Indian Republic States. It had inaugurated to distribute (sell at a low price) grain equally between civic. It also contained kerosene. In India, ration card is used to collect necessary grain, kerosene and to explain identity proof. During the Indian independence period, civilians were using Stove to cook food even some of the villages still using. This stove working with kerosene. Most of the villagers have been using natural product source to cook food. Due to insufficient availability of electricity, kerosene was used to diffuse light in both urban & rural area. The government was troubling to put it out on end users because of their huge requirement. Then the government decided to develop some phenomena which will distribute equal quantity & minimum rates. Consequently, the government introduced the Ration card, to distribute necessary items with predefined quantity & price. With this policy of grain distribution, civic were getting the required quantity with few efforts.
In India corruption is a serious issue, it is to blaze like a virus. It has to clinch on arm to all government sectors & services. Thus ration card has to clinch on corruption’s arm. Civics have considered ration card as a source of black income. The government had decided some eligibility criteria for ration card holders, which was “holder’s annual income must be less than the fixed amount”. But in an actual person who have a sufficient source of income, also have the ration card. This person introduces them as the applicable candidate with the support of bribe. Now they start collecting grains which are deserving for some poor person. Government introduces ration card to the candidate who isn’t capable to breed up their family. Usurers are collecting grains and other products even their family members are in good condition and status. They will sell grain on market with the good amount, to observing point is their consumer will poor candidate who isn’t able to afford two times food for their family. This is unfortunate of the nation that usurers are getting more and become stronger & poor vacate their empty hands to become poorer.
In Sikkim state government performs commendable performance to reduce poverty. As per official statics Sikkim had 30.9% BPL candidates in all over the state which is now decreased to 8.19%. Sikkim touches 22% deduction in a short time period. Now if we put the focus on ration card then in Sikkim state ration card is working as an identity card for residents, subsidy platform. It is also distributing grains to cardholders on subsidy amount. Sikkim state government issues three different types of ration card first one is BPL card, the second one is the APL card and the third one is the AAY card.
The BPL cards are provided to the citizens who live below the poverty line and their annual income is less than Rs. 10,000, this card holder can get 35 kgs of rice atRs.4/- per kg.
The APL cards are provided to the citizens of Sikkim who are above the poverty line and have their annual income above Rs, 10,000, this card holder can get wholemeal flour at Rs.8/- per kg.
The AAY cards are issued to the citizens of Sikkim who are very poor and do not have any stable income source, this card holder can get 35 kgs of rice at free of cost.
Sikkim ration card is valid for five years, it can be renewed by applying again for ration card. We can focus on the ration card creation method which is as follow. The applicant has to visit the http://sikkimfcs-cad.gov.in/ of the Food and Civil Supplies department under the Sikkim Government. Click on “Download forms” option which is visible on the home page of the portal. Now click on “Form for new ration card” so that the applicant can able to download the ration card application form. The applicant needs to enter the details of family members apart from personal information. Now attach the required documents along with the application form. Once you have filled the application form, then the applicant has to submit the application form to the nearby ration card office in your area. Upon submission, the applicant will be provided with acknowledgement slip for further reference. Then the ration card will be issued by the concerned authority after verification, the ration card can be collected by the applicant.
When we focusing on such points then we found Sikkim government done many things to make process easy. The government made the online platform to apply for ration card. But when we rake surrounding then we find Tamilnadu ration card and their step towards digitization of system. Now Tamilnadu government introduces digitize ration card with name smart ration card. Smart ration card is a replacement of the previous card, which is normally used to supply food grains and other provisions by the government at a subsidized cost to a specific class of people in the society. Ration cards ensure that financially struggling families can easily get food products & kerosene for their living. Ration cards also a proof of identity and address that is accepted by all other Government departments. With technology and digitization, the Tamil Nadu government has started issuing Smart Ration Cards. Tamil Nadu Smart Ration Cards are supported with a mobile application that allows the user to know about nearest ration shops and the products that are available. They can know about the actual cost of the product. They can also find government allotted quantity of product, actually currently store operator tell them to lie that, “government reduces quantity this time”. Sometimes they say “government is not allowing to distribute this product” even they have product. Actually they all are corrupted. They hide product and sell it on market to get upper income. The poor person isn’t aware with fraud commitments of store operators. Some time to needy family offer for the bribe then store operator provide them consumption items. Actually to make easier & corruption free distribution government mandate consumer’s signature but store operators started to make fake sign himself. But in smart ration card store operator can’t lie because cardholder have access to know about product availability. Cardholder also know about the actual quantity of product, which was issued by the government. Smart ration card is Android platform supported the application. It can also be open and execute from the website. All previous cardholders’ data is cross-checking and converting it on the smart card.
To make system easy is not everything. The public wants transparency on services because transparency is only one thing which can reduce corruption. When consumer aware with service & benefits of service then corruption will not place. One good statement we heard from the aged persons “darkness of corruption can only remove by knowledge light”. With smart ration card, the poor & needy person can get food easily. This card will serve transparency between government schemes and scheme holders. If the government actually wants to assist citizens with their scheme & service then they must create some transparency platform between service source & destination holder. All stats should follow Tamilnadu and develop such a transparent platform for all government projects, scheme, missions etc. Sikkim government should also use social networking sites (Facebook, Whats App, We Chat, Instagram, telegram, twitter) as their promotion partner because on these sites most of the consumers are visiting regularly. So not only ration card, all services are waiting for modification.
