How to apply for Ration Card (Family Card)

How to apply for Ration Card (Family Card)

Ration Card supposed to be the most essential government document. Be it for procuring the civil supplies at the subsidized rate or for the proof of address, the ration card plays an important role in our day to day life.

It is often regarded as a tedious job to get the ration card. But, if we approach the right authorities with the right documents, the ration card will be issued within 60 to 90 days from the date of making the application (Without spending any extra money – It won’t cost you more than Rs.100 to apply for the Ration card). Thanks to the readers who keep on requesting me to share about the process of getting the ration Card and time has come now for me to write about it. The purpose of this post is to provide simple step by step procedures on how to apply for ration card. The procedures are common for all those in TamilNadu, but wherever I share the contact address / numbers, those are applicable only for the residents of Chennai. Kindly note there is no option to apply for ration card online. We need to go through the traditional paper form mode for applying the ration card.

Before jumping on to the procedures, let us first know about the types of ration cards being issued by the civil supplies. The Ration cards issued by the TamilNadu Civil Supplies department will be of many types, but majority of them belongs to the below four categories:

1. Green Card : All Commodities Card, which are issued to those who opts for all the commodities from the ration card. ie. Rice + other essential commodities.

2. White Card : Sugar Cards, are issued to those who opts for sugar instead of Rice as in Green Card. Ie. Sugar + Other essential commodities (No Rice).

3. White Card : No Commodity Cards, are issued to those who don't want any commodities from the Public Distribution System (PDS).

4. Yellow Card : Tatkal Card issued only for the address proof.

We should choose either of the above cards based on our requirement. If we need Ration card just for the proof of address, then we can opt for TATKAL CARD (YELLOW CARD) where the card will be processed in a shorter span of time. 

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY FOR RATION CARD:

• The applicant and his/her family must be Indian citizens
•  The applicant and his/her family must be living and cooking separately
• The applicant and his/her family must be residents in Tamil Nadu.
• The applicant or his family members must not possess any family card in any State in India
• The applicant or any of his/her family members must not be a member in any other family card in TamilNadu
• The applicant and members of the family must be close relatives

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S    Step 1 – Download the Form: 

Download the application form from the below link:

http://www.consumer.tn.gov.in/pdf/ration.pdf

Step 2 – Take print & Fill out the form:
Take a print of the downloaded application and fill the form.  Make sure the application is error free. Keep an eye on the spelling of your name. These small mistakes might also lead to rejection of the application form.

Step 3 – Documents to be attached:
Attach a valid Proof of Address (Make sure that the Applicant’s name & address appears in the address proofs) which can be either of the below:

1. ·         Voter Identity Card
2. ·         Aadhar Card
3. ·         Property Tax in case of own house
4. ·         Latest Electricity Bill
5. ·         Latest Telephone Bill
6. ·         Front Page of Bank Pass Book
7. ·         Passport
8. ·         Allotment orders in respect of persons residing at houses allotted by Slum Clearance Board

Along with the proof of address, the below mentioned documents to be submitted: 

1. If the application was rejected earlier, Particulars regarding earlier application for family card, including registration number and

2. A self addressed and stamped postal cover or postcard to enable the office to communicate the results to the applicant.

Step 4 – Provide Gas Connection Details in Application:
Provide details of your Gas Connection in the application form as requested. Giving below the details needs to be filled up:

a) Name of person in whose name connection is registered:
b) Oil Company (BPC / IOC / HPC)
c) LPG Consumer Number:
d) Name of the Gas Agency:
e) Number of Cylinders:

Step 5: Choose the commodities you would require:
Based on this, we will be given Green Card / White Sugar Card / White No Commodities Card / Yellow Tatkal Card. We need to choose the one from the below options in the application form:

Rice and Other Commodities (Green Card) / Additional Sugar in lieu of rice (White Card) / Don’t want any commodity (White / Yellow Card)

Step 6 – Submission of Application form:
 Once the application is filled in, the applications along with documents must be filed with Assistant Commissioner of Civil Supplies of the zone in which the applicant resides. Obtain the acknowledgement slip from the Assistant commissioner’s office after submitting the form.
Giving below the contact details of the Assistant Commissioners of all the zones in Chennai.

S.No	Zone	Address	Contact No
1	Ambattur Zone	58, M.T.H.Road, Villiwakkam Town Panchiyath Office Complex, Near Ambathkar statute, Ambattur, Chennai - 600 053	044 26250309 / 9445000156
2	Annanagar Zone	116, Poonamallee High Road, Aminjakarai, Chennai-600 084	044 24753265 / 9445000155
3	Avadi Zone	8,Krishna Menon St,Gandhi nagar Avadi, Chennai 600054	044 26375560 / 9445000403
4	Chepauk Zone	37, Nagappa Iyer St., Triplicane, Chennai-5.	044 28544934 / 9445000167
5	Chidambaranar Zone	Moore Street Near Beach Railway Station, Chennai  600 001	044 25267603 / 9445000153
6	Mylapore Zone	4,Venkatesa Agraharam Street, Mylapore, Chennai-4	044 24642613 / 9445000162
7	Perambur Zone	No.13 Madavaram (North)High Road, Opp: Sympsons Company, Near: Moolakadai Bus Stop, Chennai-11	044 25593050 / 9445000154
8	Royapuram Zone	9B, Somu Cheety 6th St. Chennai  600 021	044 25953285 / 9445000158
9	Saidapet Zone	92/102 Bazaar St., Opp: VGP Square, Saidapet, Chennai-15	044 24328198 / 9445000165
10	Sholinganallur Zone	147,New Kumaran Nagar, 1st Cr St, Sholinganallur, Chennai-600119	044 24502575 / 9445000167
11	St. Thomas Mount Zone	No.2, Arikari Street, Adambakkam , Chennai - 600 088	044 22604411 / 9445000163
12	T.Nagar Zone	4, Ragaviah Road, T.Nagar, Chennai-17	044 28156674 / 9445000161
13	Tambaram Zone	4, Vanilai Arasu St., Tambaram West, Chennai-45	044 22262737 / 9445000164
14	Thiruvottiyur Zone	936, T.H.Road, Municipality Marriage Hall, Thiruvotriyur, Chennai-19	044 25992828 / 9445000159
15	Thousand Lights Zone	Vidiyothiya Main Road, Kodambakkam High Road, Nungambakkam	044 28340276 / 9445000166
16	Villivakkam Zone	New No.60, Old No.109, Perumal Koil Street, Madavethi, Villivakkam, Chennai - 600 049	044 26171451 / 9445000157

d    Step – 7: Processing &Verification:

      Once the application is submitted, it will be sent for the field verification whereby the authorized official will visit our house to ensure that the applicant satisfies the eligibility criteria as mentioned in the top of this post.  Be cautious while letting the officials in. Ask for their official ID card before letting them in.

      

      This Verification / Inspection should be initiated within 30 days from the date of application. If there is no such inspection beyond 30 days, We need to check with the Assistant commissioner in the zonal civil supplies office where you applied for the ration card (In the address mentioned above).

      

      Step – 8: Intimation of Application Status:

1.      Once, the application is found eligible for issue of a new family card, the card will be sent for printing. As soon as the printed card arrives in the office, the Assistant Commissioner will send a post card (or) a SMS to the applicant requesting him/her to collect the ration card in person with the acknowledgement slip within 15 days. The head of the family should go & collect the card. If he is not able to collect, he should send a letter authorizing any other member of the family to collect the family card on his/her behalf. Such a letter must have the signature of the other member of the family attested by the applicant. The person so authorised may collect the card after surrendering the acknowledgement slip issued at the time of submission of the application.

2.       

      In case the application is rejected, the Assistant Commissioner will send a post card / SMS to the applicant indicating the reasons for rejection within 60 days of the application date. 

       

Kindly note that, newly married couple can apply for the ration card only if they are living & using the separate kitchen from their parents who already owns ration card.

Step 1 – Remove your name from your Father’s Ration Card:

First step for a newly married couple applying for ration card is to get their names removed from their father’s ration card. For removing the name from father’s ration card, we need to visit the Ration Office (As in the addresses mentioned above) and fill in the form D-1 along with the Marriage Registration Certificate. Along with this, a written application (in white paper) by the head of the family of the existing cardholder with the below details has to be submitted:

Full address
Name
Previous address of the new member of the family
Nature of relationship with the head of the family.

Once the Assistant Commissioner is satisfied, he will issue the certificate of name removal.

Step 2 to Step 8:  Follow as in the Application for New Ration Card, except that we need to attach “NAME DELETION CERTIFICATE” which we obtained in the previous step, along with the application form.

Things to be noted:
1. Attach a copy of the ration cards where our names have been deleted / removed
2. Also obtain a copy of ration card from your neighbour / landlord of your new residence, so as to make process easier for them. It is also better to obtain a letter from the landlord stating that you are residing in the particular address.

Step 1 – Written application to be made by the head of the family & obtaining Name Deletion Certificate:

Follow the step-1 as in the Application for Ration Card of Newly Married Couple (above), except that instead of marriage certificate we need to produce the proof of reason for moving permanently to any other State.

Step 2 to Step 8:  Follow as in the Application for New Ration Card, except that we need to attach “NAME DELETION CERTIFICATE” which we obtained in the previous step, along with the application form.

Points to be noted:
1. Attach a copy of the ration cards where our names have been deleted / removed
2. Also obtain a copy of ration card from your neighbor / landlord of your new residence, so as to make process easier for them. It is also better to obtain a letter from the landlord stating that you are residing in the particular address.

Step 1 – Written application to be made by the head of the family:

In order to add a new born kid’s name to the ration card, A written application (in white paper) by the head of the family of the existing card holder with the below details has to be submitted to AC office:

Full address
Name
Nature of relationship with the head of the family.

Step 2 – Submit a copy of Birth Certificate:

Copy of Birth Certificate needs to be submitted along with the written application as in step-1.

Step 1 – Fill the Form D-1:

Form D-1 needs to be obtained from the Ration office & it should be duly filled-in.

Step 2 – Submit a copy of Death Certificate:

A copy of death certificate to be submitted along the application form as in step-1 & obtain the acknowledgement slip. Name will be removed after the officer confirms it by visiting our residence.  

If the change of address is within the same jurisdiction of the same ration shop:

Step 1 – A Written application to be made from the head of the family indicating the reason for change in address and the new address, to the officer in ration shop.

Step 2 –Submit a proof of address for the new residence along with the original ration card.

If the change of address is outside the same jurisdiction of the same ration shop:

Step 1 – A Written application to be made from the head of the family indicating the reason for change in address and the new address, to the officer in ration shop.

Step 2 –Submit a proof of address for the new residence along with the original ration card.

Step 3 – Obtain the deletion slip from your old ration shop officer. Get the card deleted from the A-Register and get a deletion slip signed by the salesman in ration shop.

Step 4 - Hand over the deletion slip with the Ration card to the AC office and get an acknowledgement slip. 

Step 1 – A written application to be made by the head of family indicating the reasons for applying for a duplicate family card, the ration card number and Fair Price Shop code. (Applications from any other member of the family will be rejected.)

Step 2 - Ration card number or xerox copy of the lost family card / the damaged family card and name of the fair price shop should be submitted.

Step 3 –Submit a copy for Proof of residence for the address as in the ration card

Key Points to be noted: 

1. Once the card arrives, check for the correctness of the data.

2. Since ration card supposed to be the essential document for many things, we should keep the card safe. I would suggest you to take few photo copies of the ration card (Front & Back). This will also help in case if we want to apply for the duplicate ration card.  

3. Be patient till 60 days since we make the application. Let us not disturb the officials by visiting their office every now & then to know the status. 

4. It is illegal to own more than one ration card for the people residing in the same house by using the same kitchen. 

Conclusion:

I have tried my level best to make this post easily understandable for those who want to apply for ration card. If you need any clarifications, you can just step in to your nearest Ration Shop / Assistant Commissioner (Civil Supplies) office and get it clarified, or you can comment here. I shall try to assist you with the solution for your queries. The post is based on the details as found in Tamilnadu Civil Supplies official website. In case if any of you find any errors in the content, feel free to let me know. Hope this post is helpful.

Meet you all in my next post.
Deepak Raghuraman
innovativedeepak87@gmail.com