Big Shock to Ration Card Users in Andhra Pradesh: Service Charges Increased
According to the latest government orders, citizens will now have to pay higher fees for services such as applying for a new ration card, obtaining a duplicate card, adding or deleting family members, correcting personal details, changing addresses, and distribution of ration cards.
Hyderabad: The coalition government of Andhra Pradesh has taken a major decision affecting ration card holders across the state by significantly increasing service charges for various ration card-related services.
According to the latest government orders, citizens will now have to pay higher fees for services such as applying for a new ration card, obtaining a duplicate card, adding or deleting family members, correcting personal details, changing addresses, and distribution of ration cards. The revised charges have come into effect immediately.
Services that previously required a fee of ₹24 have now been increased to ₹100, while the fee for ration card distribution has been raised from ₹48 to ₹200.
These services can be accessed through MeeSeva centers, Gram/Ward Secretariats, the Citizen Portal, and WhatsApp Governance platforms. However, many people believe that charging such high fees even for minor corrections in ration cards will put an additional financial burden on poor families.
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Meanwhile, the government has also introduced several changes in the ration distribution system. New QR code-enabled ration cards are being distributed free of cost to all eligible beneficiaries.
The government has discontinued the doorstep ration delivery vehicles, though ration dealers will continue to deliver supplies to the homes of elderly citizens. Other beneficiaries will need to collect their ration supplies directly from fair price shops.
In a positive move, the government has expanded the range of food items provided through the Public Distribution System. Along with rice and sugar, beneficiaries will now receive ragi, jowar, and wheat flour.
Notably, wheat flour, which costs around ₹70 per kilogram in the market, is being supplied by the government at a subsidized rate of ₹20 per kilogram.
Despite these additions, the sharp increase in service charges has triggered concerns among the public, especially among low-income families who rely heavily on the ration card system for essential food supplies.
