Although Aadhaar Card, PAN Card or Voter Card are our most important documents today, the Ration Card is the most important government document issued in the country long before all these cards. As we all know that ration card holders are provided essential commodities like rice, dal, salt, oil, sugar etc. at government fixed rates, so the importance of this card is immense.
Digitization of all these government essential documents has benefited us everywhere today. As we no longer need to carry documents separately, the speed of work has been increased to the maximum in practical terms.
Currently Digital Ration Card has been introduced in West Bengal, due to which people can get maximum benefits by using this card. They can apply and download the card directly from the portal themselves. This article provides detailed information on what Digital Ration Card is, its benefits and how you can apply.
What is Digital Ration Card?
Digital Ration Card is an electronic version of our paper ration card issued under Food and Supplies Department, Government of West Bengal. This new digital approach has made the PDS (Public Distribution System) process more efficient and convenient.
Digital Ration Card facility
With Digital Ration Card you will get the following benefits:
Practical accessibility:
Having a digital ration card allows you to access your ration information anytime and anywhere through a smartphone or computer. You will not need to carry physical ration card.
Reducing Fraud:
Digitization of ration cards and biometric verification has made it possible to stop fraudulent activities of ration cards such as counterfeiting of cards and ensure that ration benefits reach only eligible recipients.
Skill Enhancement:
Digital ration cards have made it much easier to manage, update and track records. Ration cards used to record manually, which was quite time consuming and prone to errors but now it has been possible to automate it through digitization process, which has helped in reducing errors and creating more efficient and transparent management in less time.
Digital Ration Card is the required document
Following documents are required for digital ration card application:
- Aadhaar Card
- Birth Certificate (for any child below 5 years)
Digital Ration Card Application
You can apply for digital ration card online in the following ways:
- You need to visit the official portal of food department of West Bengal government food.wb.gov.in.
- Click on the ‘Citizen’s Home’ link on the left side of the home page.
- Then click on the ‘Ration Card Related Corner‘ link.
- Then click on ‘Service through office approval’.
- Then click on ‘Apply Online’.
- Then you have to click on ‘Form-4’.
- Then you need to enter the mobile number to login and click on ‘GET OTP’.
- After login through OTP verification you will reach the dashboard, where you can see the name, category and status of all family members. You have to scroll down and click on ‘Apply For FORM-4’.
- Then there is an important update where you will be asked whether you want to get the card early in which case all your family members category will become RKSY-1 else you will have to wait for PHH/SPHH card till the slots become vacant. You have to click on ‘Proceed’.
- On the next page you have to scroll down and click on ‘ENTER AN ANOTHER APPLICATION WITH THIS NUMBER’.
- Now the form will open for giving details of your new member where address, police station, name, parent’s name, date of birth, aadhaar number etc. and click on ‘NEXT’ and ‘PROCEED’.
- After that you have to upload aadhar card photo along with the form and then the form will be submitted again through OTP verification.
Digital Ration Card Related Queries (FAQs):
What is Digital Ration Card?
Digital Ration Card or e-Ration Card is a PDF document issued by the authority under Food and Supplies Department, Government of West Bengal.
How to download ration card online?
After doing e-KYC of your ration card, you have to go to the official portal of food department of West Bengal government food.wb.gov.in and click on ‘E-RATION CARD’ at the bottom of the home page and from there you can download the e-ration card through OTP verification can do.
How do I check digital ration card status?
You have to go to the official portal of Food Department of West Bengal government food.wb.gov.in and click on ‘Citizen’s Home’ on the left side of the home page and then click on ‘Enquiry’. Then click on ‘Check ration card application status’ and search through your form type and mobile number to see the status of your application.
