Punjab Ration Card List 2023: EPDS Ration Card Status

With an aim to ensure food security within the country, the Food Corporation of India pioneered the Public Distribution System. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, GoI administers the smooth functioning and implementation of the PDS. For the state of Punjab, it is enforced under the supervision of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Punjab. All the updates and information is available on its online portal. Ration cards are issued to the state public to avail of the benefits.

With the possession of a valid Punjab Ration Card, the cardholders can procure the essential food commodities at subsidiary rates. Such commodities include wheat, rice, pulses, sugar, etc. Besides, the ration card acts as an ID proof to claim some of the government-funded schemes, applying for a passport, scholarships, etc.

Through this article, we have extended all the important details and particulars about the Punjab PDS and Punjab Ration Card. We have incorporated the various online services offered as well as the procedures to avail them.

Punjab Ration Card

व्हॉट्सऐप चैनल से जुड़ें

Punjab Government authorizes the issue of Ration Card within the state so as to help the poor and impoverished households. Possession of a valid Ration Card enables the beneficiaries to acquire the regular commodities at marginal prices. These rationed items reach the common public of the state through the Public Distribution System, PDS. It is a chain of Fair Price Shops (FPS) to circulate the food grains and other rationed commodities to the beneficiaries at subsidized prices. Wheat, rice, pulses, sugar, kerosene oil, etc. are some of the basic items disbursed through the system.

Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs ਦੁਵਾਰਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਵਸਨੀਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਰਾਸ਼ਨ ਕਾਰਡ ਜਾਰੀ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਰਾਸ਼ਨ ਕਾਰਡ ਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਗਰੀਬ ਘਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕਣਕ, ਚਾਵਲ, ਦਾਲਾਂ, ਖੰਡ ਆਦਿ ਰਿਆਇਤੀ ਦਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸਹੂਲੀਅਤ ਪ੍ਰਦਾਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਰਾਸ਼ਨ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਚੀਜ਼ਾਂ ਪਬਲਿਕ ਡਿਸਟ੍ਰੀਬਿਸ਼ਨ ਸਿਸਟਮ, ਪੀਡੀਐਸ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਆਮ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਤੱਕ ਪਹੁੰਚਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ, ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਫੰਡ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕੁਝ ਸਕੀਮਾਂ, ਪਾਸਪੋਰਟ ਲਈ ਅਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੇਣ, ਸਕਾਲਰਸ਼ਿਪ ਆਦਿ ਦਾ ਦਾਅਵਾ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਰਾਸ਼ਨ ਕਾਰਡ ਆਈਡੀ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣ ਵਜੋਂ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।

PDS in Punjab

For the state of Punjab, AePDS, Aadhaar enabled the Public Distribution System and the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs to operate collectively to execute the PDS productively. The department ensures the acquisition, storage, shipping, and mass allocation of the food grains to the state residents.

व्हॉट्सऐप चैनल से जुड़ें

The Government of Punjab has now digitalized the PDS services to ease and facilitate the entire process. Apart from this, the launch of an online platform will also bring about transparency within the system. Both the authorities have their respective online portals offering services, such as Ration Card Search, Beneficiary List, Aadhaar Seeding Report, Allotment Details, Beneficiary Details, etc. In the subsequential sections of the article, we have incorporated details about all the important services offered.

Brief Description of Punjab Ration Card

Types of Ration Cards in Punjab

The Government has approved two types of ration cards to be issued in the state, namely (i) PHH and (ii) AAY.

1. AAY- Antyodaya Anna Yojana
   The eligible cardholders of this category belong to the poorest of the poor households. Such families are allocated 35-40 kg of the commodities at very low prices.
2. PHH- Priority Household
   This category of ration cardholders must satisfy the income criteria as set by the government to avail the benefits.

Who can apply for the Punjab Ration Card?

Eligibility Criteria

Punjab Ration Card can only be availed by those citizens of the state who fulfill the eligibility norms and standards as prescribed by the State Government. In the following section, we have described the required eligibility criteria in order to apply for the ration card in the state of Punjab.

a) The applicant must be a native of the Punjab state.
b) Possession of the Aadhaar Card is mandatory.
c) Only the close relatives of the family will be considered for the benefits under the ration card.
d) No other state ration card must be possessed under the applicant’s name.
e) The net annual income of the family must fall within the income limits as decided by the govt.

Advantages of Punjab Ration Card

As mentioned, the ration card is not a mandatory document to be possessed. Despite this, it has many benefits to offer. Below is the list of the various uses and advantages of having a ration card.

• Ration Card is a Punjab Government approved document.
• It serves the purpose of identity proof.
• Further, it affirms the cardholder’s nationality and identification.
• The beneficiaries can procure the various food grains, such as wheat, rice, pulses, etc. at very low prices.
• It designates one’s demographic and economic standings.

NFSA Punjab Smart Card Scheme 2023

Earlier known as Aata Dal Scheme, NFSA (National Food Security Act), has rolled out a new type of card, called Punjab Smart Ration Card. Some of the major prominent features of the card have been enlisted below.

• 1.42 crores of the beneficiaries will benefit from the scheme.
• The head of the family will be the eldest woman of the household.
• Wheat will be disbursed at the subsidized rate of Rs. 2 per kg.
• The wheat will be allocated to the beneficiaries at one go.
• The department will deliver the goods to the entitled consumer at her doorstep.
• The beneficiary can contact consumer court if the department does not issue the whole amount of wheat assured.
• Each family member is allocated five kgs of wheat per month under the scheme.
• For effective enforcement, the concerned department, Gram Panchayat, Nigarni committee, transporter and the beneficiary will cordinate with each other.

Documents Required

The eligible beneficiaries who wish to apply for the Punjab Ration Card must prepare the following list of documents beforehand.

How to apply for the Punjab Ration Card?

As already mentioned, the ration card offers many benefits. Hence, in order to apply for the Punjab Ration Card, refer to the following sub-section of the article. As of now, the application procedure has not been digitalized and is still offline. However, the online process for the same will be launched soon. As soon as, it is officialized, we will update the same for your assistance.

Online Procedure to apply

Although an online application procedure has not been yet established, an expected procedure is mentioned below for reference.

1. Firstly, you will need to visit the official website of the concerned authority or department.
2. Search for “New Ration Card Application Form”.
3. Click on the link.
4. An application form will appear on the screen.
5. Feed in the required details correctly in the corresponding fields.
6. Most likely, your personal, residential, bank account and the family members details will be asked.
7. Upload the required documents and photograph in the prescribed size and format.
8. Click on the “Submit” button.
9. An application number will be generated in the end, note it down.
10. The officials will verify and validate your details and documnets and proceed the process if true.

Offline Procedure to apply

Follow the below-mentioned steps to apply for Punjab Ration Card in an offline manner.

1. Visit any nearest authorized Suvidha Centre/ Taluk office/ ePDS Department of Punjab.
2. Collect your application form.
3. Fill in your details, such as your basic info, address, bank details along with the particulars of your family members in the space provided.
4. Affix your recent passport size photgraph.
5. Also, attach all the supporting documents along.
6. Submit the complete form to the cornced authorities.
7. Secure the acknowledgement slip received.
8. You might have to pay a small requisite fee to the department to initiate the process.

How to view Punjab Ration Card Benficiary List?

The Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs has published the Punjab New Ration List 2023 online. To view the same, you can refer to the following steps.

Step I:- First of all, you need to visit the official website of AePDS, Punjab. Its homepage will open.

Step II:- On the left side of the homepage, you will find a “Month Abstract” button. Click on it.

Step III:- Clicking on it will open a new page. Select the relevant month.

Step IV:- A district-wise list will appear in the following manner. Click on your applying district.

Step V:- Subsequently, an inspector-wise list will appear followed by FPS ID and RC Number.

Step VI:- Search for your name or RC number from the list and check the desired details.

Search Beneficiary in Punjab Ration Card portal

Punjab AePDS portal allows you to view the beneficiary details online. Check the procedure described below for the same.

Step I:- Visit the official website of AePDS Punjab. Click on the option of “Beneficiary Details” available on the left menu sidebar.

Step II:- Enter your Ration Card number in the given space. Click on the “Submit” button.

Step III:- All the details regarding the concerned ration card will be displayed over the screen. It will comprise the details, such as RC number, FDS ID, Inspector details, type of ration card, family member details along with the quantity and type of commodities availed till date.

Other Services

Punjab PDS Online Public Grievance Redressal System

Public Grievance Redressal System is a platform to address the issues regarding the concerned department or services. For the speedy response and redressal, the authorities have now digitalized the grievance process. In the same way, you can submit your grievances or suggestions regarding Punjab Ration Card online in the following manner.

Step I:- Visit the official website of the State Food Department. The homepage of the departmental website will open.

Step II:- Under the Transparency Portal, click on the option of “Public Grievance Redressal Portal”.

Step III:- As you click on the link, you will be directed to an external website. The following page will appear.

Step IV:- If you are a registered member, click on the “Login” tab under the “Already Register?” section. Otherwise, create a new login ID on the Digital Punjab portal and proceed accordingly.

Step V:- Log in your Digital Punjab credentials. Fill in the Grievance application form and write a summary describing your issue or complaint.

Step VI:- At last, click on the “Submit” button. Your complaint is now successfully registered. The concerned officials will look into the matter and help you out with the relevant solution.

Track Grievance Status

Upon successfully registering your complaint, you can track your grievance application status as well. Follow the following procedure for the same.

• Follow the same steps from Step I to Step III as described in the above section.
• Click on the “Track Grievance” option.
• Fill in your allotted Grievance ID and registered mobile number in the space provided.
• Verify the OTP sent.
• You can now check the status of your registered grievance.

Punjab Ration Card Contact Details

If you have any queries or doubts related to the Punjab AePDS or Punjab Ration Card, you can contact the officials of the State Food Department, i.e. Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in the following ways:-

Frequently Asked Questions

Important Links

For more information and regular updates on the Punjab Ration Card and PDS-related activities, save this page for future references. Also, in case of any queries or doubts, let us know through the comment section below.