Ration Card Types and Benefits

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

• This type of ration card is given to poor families who do not have a stable income identified by the respective state governments.
• Persons who do not have stable income, such as rickshaw pullers, daily labourers, coolies, etc., are issued this card.
• Unemployed people, women and old aged people are also issued with this card.
• These cardholders are eligible to receive 35kg of food grains per month per family. 
• They are eligible to receive wheat of 15kg and rice of 20kg per family per month.
• They receive foodgrains at the subsidised price of Rs.3 per kg for rice and Rs.2 per kg for wheat. 

Priority Household (PHH)

• Families which are not covered under AAY fall under PHH.
• The state governments identify priority household families under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) according to their exclusive and inclusive guidelines.
• PHH cardholders receive 5kg of food grains per person per month.
• Foodgrains are at the subsidised price of Rs.3 per kg for rice, Rs.2 per kg for wheat and Rs.1 per kg for coarse grains for these cardholders. 

Inclusion Guidelines

• A transgender person.
• A person with more than 40% disability.
• All households which belong to primitive tribal groups.
• Households with no shelter.
• Households with a widow pension holder.
• Households comprising destitute who are living on alms.

Exclusion Guidelines

• Any household that has a pucca roof with a minimum of three rooms with pucca walls.
• Households paying income tax.
• Households comprising pensioners or a member who earns more than Rs.10,000 on a monthly basis in a rural area and Rs.15,000 in an urban area.
• Households with a regular employee – gazetted or non-gazetted of State Government, Central Government, Public Sector Undertakings, Government aided local and autonomous bodies.
• Households with a domestic electric connection with a load of 2 KW or more; consumes about 300 units of energy (KWH) on a monthly basis.
• Households that have enterprises registered with the government for services and manufacturing.
• Any household that has a motorized vehicle, a four-wheeler, a heavy vehicle, a trawler, two or more motorboats.
• Households with mechanised agricultural equipment such as tractors, and harvesters.

Non-Priority Household (NPHH) 

NPHH ration card is given to households who do not meet the PHH eligibility criteria set by the government. Thus, they are not entitled to any food grains. This card only acts as an identity proof.

Ration Cards Under TPDS

Before NFSA’s introduction, the state governments issued ration cards under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). After passing NFSA, states started issuing ration cards under it (which are mentioned above). The state governments which are yet to enforce the NFSA system, still follow the old ration cards issued by them under TPDS. They are: 

Below Poverty Line (BPL)

• Families that have BPL cards are the ones who are living below the poverty line as specified by the state government.
• BPL families receive 10kg to 20kg of food grains per family per month at 50% of the economic cost.
• The subsidised end retail price for specified quantities of wheat, rice, sugar and other items varies from state to state. Each state government fixes different rates per quantity.

Above Poverty Line (APL)

• Families that have this card are the ones who are living above the poverty line as specified by the state government.
• APL families receive 10kg to 20kg of food grains per family per month at 100% of the economic cost.
• Each state government fixes a subsidised retail rate for rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene oil for a certain quantity.

Annapoorna Yojana (AY)

• AY ration cards are given to older people who are poor and above 65 years.
• Cardholders receive 10 kgs of foodgrains per month under this card.
• State governments issue these cards to the older people who come under this scheme as specified by them.