New Delhi, September 19: Services related to ration card, such as applying for a new card, updating details and seeding with Aadhaar, will now be available at over 3.7 lakh common services centres (CSC) across the country. The move is expected to benefit 23.64 crore ration card holders across the country.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has tied up with CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd, a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics & IT, to streamline ration deliveries and strengthen public distribution system (PDS) in semi-urban and rural areas across the country, according to a statement by CSC.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the food & public distribution department and CSC, to enable ration card services through 3.7 lakh CSCs across the country.

The partnership is expected to benefit over 23.64 crore ration card holders across the country who can now visit their nearest CSC and update their card details, do Aadhaar seeding, get a duplicate print of their card, check the status of availability of ration and register their grievance, it said.

Apart from the existing ration card holders, citizens who want to apply for a new ration card can also now visit their nearest CSC to put in the request application. PAN-Aadhaar Linking Deadline Extended Again by 6 Months, Citizens Can Now Link the Two Documents Till March 2022.

CSC e-Governance Services India Managing Director Dinesh Tyagi said, "Following our partnership with the department of food and public distribution, our village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) who run CSCs will be able to reach out to those without ration cards and help them get access to the public distribution system and various government schemes for free ration."

Moreover, the online services of CSC will also be made available at fair price shops that include PM welfare schemes, G2C services, education and skilling courses, financial services, health care and utility bill payments services.

For this, CSC will undertake training and capacity building of fair price shop dealers on providing these services, Tyagi added.