‘One Nation One Ration Card’ (ONORC) scheme enables migrant workers and their families to access the Public Distribution System (PDS) and benefits from any fair price shops across the country. Comment [150 Words] (10)
The One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme has been hailed as a groundbreaking initiative to address the food security concerns of migrant workers and their families. While the scheme holds immense promise, there are also potential challenges that need to be considered.
Arguments for ONORC
- Improved Food Security for Migrants: ONORC allows migrant workers to buy subsidized food grains from any PDS shop nationwide, eliminating interstate ration card mobility.
- Improved Nutrition: Migrant households can maintain their nutritional intake with affordable food grains, improving their health and well-being.
- Promotion of Social Inclusion: ONORC removes interstate movement restrictions to PDS benefits.
- Labor Mobility: ONORC removes PDS-related barriers to cross-state labor mobility, improving labor market efficiency.
Arguments Against ONORC
- Implementation Challenges: Integrating PDS systems across states requires data sharing and effective coordination to overcome logistical and administrative challenges.
- Exclusion Errors: Linking PDS to Aadhaar may exclude legitimate beneficiaries due to technical issues or data mismatches.
- Fraudulent Practices: Monitoring and enforcement are needed to prevent fraudulent transactions and diversion of subsidized food grains.
- Fiscal Burden: Assessing and managing the cost effects of expanding PDS coverage to more migrants is crucial.
In conclusion, ONORC offers opportunities and challenges. It might greatly enhance the lives of migrant workers and their families, but it requires careful design, robust infrastructure, and thorough monitoring to address possible concerns.