‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ Scheme Boosts Food Security for Migrant Workers in Pimpri-Chinchwad
Pimpri-Chinchwad, 22nd August 2025: Migrant workers in Pimpri-Chinchwad are finally receiving uninterrupted access to subsidized food grains, thanks to the successful implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ (ONORC) scheme. The initiative has eased long-standing challenges for laborers and families who previously could not use their home-state ration cards in their new place of work.
Under ONORC, beneficiaries can draw their allotted quota of food grains from any fair-price shop nationwide using Aadhaar authentication and their 12-digit ration card number. The scheme’s portability ensures that if cardholders miss collecting their quota in their home districts, the unclaimed stock becomes available at their current place of residence.
How the Scheme Operates:
Launched in 2018 by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, ONORC integrates ration cards with Aadhaar and the National Food Security Act database. All transactions are digitally recorded through e-PoS machines, creating seamless portability across states.
Fair-price shops in the area report that 8–12% of their grain distribution now caters to ONORC beneficiaries, with outlets located along major roads serving more migrant workers than those in interior areas.
Ajay Yadav, a migrant laborer, expressed his satisfaction:
“When I moved to Pimpri-Chinchwad, I couldn’t get ration earlier. Now I can easily collect my share here without any problem.”
Bhosari Division Officer Gajanan Deshmukh confirmed that fair-price outlets have been instructed to allocate leftover stock to migrants from other towns and states:
“There have been no complaints of denial so far,” he noted.
The ONORC programme is proving to be a crucial lifeline, ensuring food security for migrant families while preventing wastage of government-subsidized grains. By combining technology with policy reform, the initiative highlights how governance can bridge systemic gaps and deliver tangible benefits to vulnerable communities.
