Atmanirbhar Bharat | National portability of 'One Nation One Ration' card to be completed by March 2021

Addressing the nation on the fiscal stimulus announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said national portability will be achieved in the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme by March 2021 across the country.

The announcement was made in her second address describing the contours of the Centre's stimulus measures in view of the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 lockdown.

The ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ is a central government initiative that would allow eligible beneficiaries to avail food grains they are entitled to, under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country. They would be able to do so without the need to obtain a new ration card for the new location.

Under the scheme, ration cardholders can get food grains from any ration depo across the nation. "The government aims to achieve 100 percent coverage by March 2021," the Finance Minister said.

"67 crore people across 23 states have been covered under One Nation One Ration scheme that covers 83% of PDS population," the FM added.

67 crore beneficiaries in 23 states covering 83% of PDS population will be covered by national portability by August 2020. 100% national portability will be achieved by March 2021: Smt @nsitharaman #AatmaNirbharBharatPackage pic.twitter.com/mdMPeewSIq

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

View more

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

View more

Show

Related stories

• 
  India witnesses 3,016 fresh COVID-19 cases, highest in nearly six months
• 
  Want safer banks? Then prepare for slower growth
• 
  Delhi govt to hold meeting amid spurt in COVID-19 cases

— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) May 14, 2020

"Today's second tranche of announcements focuses on migrant workers, street vendors, small traders, self-employed people, small farmers," said Sitharaman

Follow FM Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements here on our LIVE blog

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced an economic stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore to shore up the economy battered by the COVID-19 outbreak, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 13 disclosed the blueprint of the mega package.

The announcements on May 13 included six measures for MSMEs, 2 for EPF, 2 for NBFCs and MFIs, 1 for discoms, 1 for contractors, 1 for real estate sector, and 3 tax measures.

The Finance Minister's announcements also aimed at improving the sagging morale of India's workforce, facing the brunt of a slowing economy and muted corporate earnings

Follow all of our coverage on Coronavirus here