New ration cards to be issued in January

Guntur: The State government is making arrangements to receive applications for issuing new ration cards from December first week. Guidelines are expected to be issued soon.

Previously, the government announced plans to issue new ration cards to newly married couples and will replace old ration cards with the new ones.

According to official sources, the YSRCP government printed the photo of then Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on the old white ration cards.

However, the new ration cards will feature the government emblem instead. The government plans to issue these new ration cards in January, aiming to complete the process by February 2025. Applications for the new ration cards will be accepted at ward secretariats.

Currently, there are 148,000 white ration cards in the state, allowing holders to receive rice, sugar, red gram, sunflower oil, and three LPG cylinders free of charge for one year.

The Civil Supplies Department plans to issue an additional 150,000 new ration cards to eligible residents. The coalition government is implementing these schemes with the new design featuring the government emblem.

Currently, there are 336,000 pending applications for new ration cards. This includes approximately 46,918 applications for split cards and another 46,918 applications for adding new family members.

Additionally, about 8,263 applications are pending for changes of address. Civil Supplies Department officials have reviewed the usage of ration cards and identified individuals who have not availed of their rations for the past six months.

The department will examine all applications and issue the new ration cards without imposing any additional financial burden on the government.