All citizens of the Kerala state who belong to the lower sections of society are allowed to get the Kerala Ration Card. They can procure access to food and grains at subsidized rates. The ration card also serves as an important document that offers verification for various families in the state. These verified families are then eligible to obtain food grains at subsidized prices. A ration card is also an important document that is issued by the Civil Department of the state. It is given out to various families, which serves as an important document for identity proof as well.
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Kerala Ration Card Eligibility
In the state of Kerala, applicants who wish to apply for a ration card must first ensure they are eligible for the card. Primary eligibility criteria for the ration card are enlisted below:
- The applicant must be a citizen of India.
- An applicant or his family should not have any other type of ration card already issued by the state.
Types of Kerala Ration Card
There are primarily three types of ration cards that are given out to the Kerala citizens by the state government:
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana: Citizens who belong to the weaker sections of the society in the state of Kerala are eligible for this type of card. This scheme allows applicants and their families to receive 35 kgs of essential commodities, including rice, wheat, and other food grains.
- Priority Card: The priority scheme allows citizens below the poverty line from the state of Kerala to get a ration card. Up to 5 kgs of food grains will be rendered free of cost to all family members with possession of this card. 5kg food grains given in this scheme shall include 4 kg rice and 1kg of wheat.
- Non-Priority Subsidy: Kerala Government offers this scheme for people of the state who are above the poverty line. Essential commodities covered under this scheme include 2 kg of rice that is provided to all family members.
How to Apply for Kerala Ration Card
To obtain a ration card in Kerala, applicants can apply through offline and online methods. If applicants do not have internet access available, they can apply for a ration card by offline methods. For this, they need to apply through the Akshaya Centre or TSO/ DSO centers in the state. Online applications can be done for ration cards as well. For this, citizens need to visit the Civil Department of Kerala.
To apply for a ration card from the Akshaya Centre, the following steps can be kept in mind:
- Locate the nearest Akshaya Centre and visit the place personally.
- At the center, request the application form, fill in all the details and submit by attaching all necessary documentation for further verification purposes.
- For applicants already holding an old Kerala Ration Card, submit the old card along with the application form.
- Authorities in the center shall check the documents and the application form thoroughly. The applicant’s digital photograph shall be taken too.
- Fees along with any other prescribed charges shall be levied on the applicant, and he has to pay all of them at the center.
To apply for a ration card from the nearest TSO/DSO center, applicants have to follow these steps:
- Visit the nearest TSO/ DSO near your location.
- Applicant must apply here for a new ration card. Pay prescribed application fees to the concerned officer.
- Submit your completed application form along with suitable documents to the officer at the center.
- After document verification, the ration card shall be sent to the applicant’s official address. Ration cards shall take a maximum of 15 days to be dispatched from the date of application.
To apply for an online ration card, the following steps need to be followed:
- Go to the official website of the Civil Department.
- If the applicant is looking for a new ration card, then he needs to select the option of ‘New Ration Card’.
- On the new application form, the applicant needs to furnish the barcode of the old ration card, if the application is being made for the old ration card.
- Applicants must take care to fill up all necessary details on the application form.
- After the correct entry of data in the application form, applicants can click the ‘Submit’ button. After submission, do not forget to click on the ‘activation link’.
- After completion of the activation process, applicants can log in to the website using their login ID and password.
In case of fresh application, an applicant can read through this segment and follow the instructions provided on the website accordingly:
- Applicants must convert the entire document into PDF format and upload it.
- Applicants must be carefully checked and verified before uploading and submitting.
- After submission, a hard copy of the application can be retained by the printing, or a soft copy can be downloaded into the system.
- At the nearest TSO center, the application form, along with the required documents, needs to be submitted in person.
- An application fee should also be paid at the center.
- An external official shall examine both the application and the concerned documents.
- From the date of application, the inspection of the application along with the required documents is carried out within 30 days.
- If the authorized officer approves the application, a notification shall be forwarded to the applicant mentioning the same.
- In case of rejection, the applicant would be informed about the same, stating the clear reason for application rejection.
Documents Required for Kerala Ration Card
For applying for the Kerala Ration card, a list of documents provided here must be submitted along with the duly filled application form:
- Voter ID Card
- Recent photograph
- Driving License
- Any valid photo ID issued by the Government
- Passport
Along with these documents, the citizens also need to provide residential proof, which can be given in the form of any of these documents given below:
- Electricity Bill
- Applicant’s bank passbook
- Latest mobile phone bill
- Old or cancelled ration card
- Rental agreement
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the process to check the application status of the ration card?
Applicants can check their application status by logging in to their account on the Kerala state’s civil department website. They can click on the corresponding option to check the application status. A minimum of 15 days is needed to process the application.
2. Can modifications be made to the ration card?
Yes, modifications are allowed on the details of the ration card. Applicants can visit the nearest TSO office and quote the changes to be made to the concerned authorities. Supporting documents for the changes are to be submitted at the TSO office. After the officer verifies the documents, the necessary changes can be made.
3. What are the types of ration cards issued to the citizens of the state of Kerala?
There are mainly three types of ration cards given to the citizens of Kerala – they are Priority Ration Card, Non-Priority Subsidy Ration Card, and Antyodaya Anna Yojana Ration Card.
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