Kerala Ration Card: Types, Documents Required and Application Procedure

A ration card is an official document issued by various state governments of India to allow Indian households to buy food grains at subsidised rates. It is not a must-have document but is an ideal source for procuring essential food commodities for people with low or average incomes.

• Ration Card Kerala helps you buy food grains at subsidised rates from Fair Price Shops (FPS) in the state.
• The Kerala government issues three types of ration cards to its citizens.
• This card is issued to you depending on your socioeconomic status.
• You can apply for a ration card either online or offline.

All Indian states, under the National Food and Security Act (NFSA), issue ration cards to all households that otherwise find it difficult to purchase food items from the general market.The Kerala ration card works on the same model. The government of Kerala issues the ration card in association with the state's civil department to all its citizens who belong to the lower economic sections of society. These sections include poor and limited-income households. The main motive of the ration card in Keralais to enable low-income households to procure food materials and other essential commodities like oil, kerosene, etc., at subsidised rates. Also Read - Know about the government-sponsored health insurance schemes in India

The State Government issues three types of ration cards to all its citizens. They are as follows:

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (Yellow)

This yellow card is issued to the weaker sections of society, including the terminally ill, widows, single men and women with no support, senior citizens, etc. The card entitles the cardholder to 35 kg of free essential commodities, including rice and wheat.

Priority (Pink)

This pink colour card is issued to all citizens falling below the poverty line or with annual incomes below ₹24,200 and entitles them to 5 kgs of free grain for every family member holding the card. The 5 kg scheme, however, includes a mix of 4 kg of rice and 1 kg of wheat.

Non-Priority (White)

This white colour card is issued to all citizens above the poverty line or those with annual incomes more than ₹1,00,000 and entitles the cardholders to 2 kg of free rice for every family member holding the card.

You must fulfil the following criteria to procure a ration card in Kerala:

• You must be an Indian citizen.
• You must be a local citizen of the state of Kerala.
• You must not hold any other Indian state’s ration card.

You can apply for a ration card in Kerala both online and offline. Here is the process for both the modes:

Online Application

To apply for a ration card online in Kerala, you need to follow these steps:

• Visit the state civil department’s official webpage and click the ‘New Ration Card’ option.
• Enter valid information in the required fields as requested on the screen.
• Next, verify the entered ration card details in Kerala and click ‘Submit’.
• An activation link will appear on the screen. You need to click the link to activate your account.
• Once the activation process is complete, you must enter your user ID and password to access the site.
• Visit the new application website, enter the required information with valid details and relevant documents in PDF format (maximum size 250 KB) and click ‘Submit’.
• Once the government has accepted your application, you might be asked to pay a certain fee.
• Your card will be issued within 15 days of the fee payment date.

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Offline Application

For the offline application of a ration card in Kerala, you may choose to apply either through Akshaya centres or TSO (Taluk Supply Office)/ DSO (District Supply Office).The steps involved in applying through an Akshaya Centre are as follows:

• Visit the nearby Akshaya centre and fill up the application form.
• Submit the form along with all the valid and relevant documents.
• The concerned authority will duly verify the submitted documents.
• Once the verification process is complete, they will click your picture and ask you to pay an application fee and other applicable charges.
• The state government will issue your ration card within 15 days of receiving the payment.

The steps involved in applying through a DSO or a TSO are as follows:

• Visit the nearby TSO/DSO centre and fill up the application form.
• Submit the application form and all the relevant documents to the concerned authority.
• The authority will verify all your ration card details in Kerala and issue the cardwithin 15 days of completion of the verification process.

You need to submit the below-mentioned documents to get your name enrolled in the Kerala ration card list:

• Application form, duly filled and signed
• Ward councillor’s certificate
• A birth certificate or a Secondary School Leaving Certificate
• Identification proof includes an Aadhaar card, PAN Card, voter ID card, a driving license or a passport.
• Residential proof such as a rental agreement, utility bills like electricity bill, gas bill, water bill, etc., passport or Aadhaar card
• A passport-size photograph of the head of the family.

Issued in three colours (yellow, pink, and white), the ration card Keralais an official document that ensures that every citizen receives food grains either free of cost or at subsidised rates, depending upon their financial standing. The sole purpose of the ration card in Kerala is to ensure that every citizen has easy access to basic food rights irrespective of their purchasing power. So, know your rights and get the card if you are a citizen of Kerala.If you need help with investments or need funds for your financial needs, you can visit Aditya Birla Capital 's website and explore affordable financial solutions for all your needs.