Concept Note: Achieving 100% Coverage of One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) Scheme

Background:
The One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme was launched in 2019 to transform India's public
distribution system (PDS) by making food security benefits portable across the country. The scheme
requires Aadhaar-based authentication for accessing its benefits. However, as per the National Food
Security Portal, around 10% or 70 million PDS beneficiaries have not linked their Aadhaar cards. The
Supreme Court has also expressed concerns about the cancellation of approximately 40 million ration
cards due to the absence of Aadhaar and biometric authentication.

Problem Statement:
The lack of 100% coverage under the ONORC scheme has hindered the goal of providing food security
benefits to all eligible beneficiaries across the country.

Mission of GDI Partners and Secretary of Department of Foods and Public

Distribution:
The mission of GDI partners and the Secretary of the Department of Food & Public Distribution is to
ensure that the benefits of the ONORC scheme reach all eligible beneficiaries across the country. This
involves a multi-pronged approach that considers the governance ecosystems, leverages technology and
communication channels, and focuses on achieving the desired outcome within a defined timeline.

Scope:
The proposed solution aims to achieve 100% coverage under the ONORC scheme in the next one year. It
considers the governance ecosystems and leverages technology and communication channels to ensure
seamless Aadhaar linking across PDS outlets. The proposed solution is scalable and can be replicated in
other government schemes as well.

Proposed Solution:
Our proposed solution involves a multi-pronged approach to achieving 100% coverage under the ONORC
scheme in the next one year. The key components of our solution are as follows:

1. Conduct a comprehensive survey of PDS beneficiaries to identify those who have not linked their
Aadhaar cards. This will involve using a combination of government databases and field-level data
collection.

2. Launch a focused communication campaign to create awareness among beneficiaries about the
importance of linking their Aadhaar cards to avail benefits under the ONORC scheme. This campaign will
leverage various media channels, including radio, television, social media, and on-ground activations.

3. Deploy mobile-based Aadhaar authentication devices to PDS outlets, especially in areas with low
Aadhaar penetration. This will enable beneficiaries to link their Aadhaar cards seamlessly and without
the need for physical travel.
4. Collaborate with state governments to establish a robust grievance redressal mechanism for
beneficiaries who face issues in linking their Aadhaar cards. This will involve setting up dedicated call
centers and a web-based grievance portal to ensure speedy resolution of complaints.

5. Develop a real-time monitoring mechanism to track the progress of Aadhaar linking across PDS
outlets. This will enable the government to take corrective measures in case of any deviations from the
desired outcome.

Stages of Implementation:
The implementation of the proposed solution will involve the following stages:

1. Comprehensive survey: Conduct a comprehensive survey of PDS beneficiaries to identify those who
have not linked their Aadhaar cards. This will involve using a combination of government databases and
field-level data collection. The survey will be conducted in two phases - the first phase will cover 50% of
the PDS beneficiaries, while the second phase will cover the remaining 50%.

2. Communication campaign: Launch a focused communication campaign to create awareness among

beneficiaries about the importance of linking their Aadhaar cards to avail benefits under the ONORC
scheme. This campaign will leverage various media channels, including radio, television, social media,
and on-ground activations. The communication campaign will be launched in two phases - the first phase
will cover states with low Aadhaar penetration, while the second phase will cover the rest of the country.

3. Mobile-based Aadhaar authentication devices: Deploy mobile-based Aadhaar authentication devices

to PDS outlets, especially in areas with low Aadhaar penetration. This will enable beneficiaries to link
their Aadhaar cards seamlessly and without the need for physical travel. The deployment of mobile-
based Aadhaar authentication devices will be done in a phased manner, with priority given to areas with
low Aadhaar penetration.

4. Grievance redressal mechanism: Collaborate with state governments to establish a robust grievance
redressal mechanism for beneficiaries who face issues in linking their Aadhaar cards. This will involve
setting up dedicated call centers and a web-based grievance portal to ensure speedy resolution of
complaints. The grievance redressal mechanism will be set up in two phases - the first phase will cover
states with low Aadhaar penetration, while the second phase will cover the rest of the country.

5. Real-time monitoring mechanism: Develop a real-time monitoring mechanism to track the progress of
Aadhaar linking across PDS outlets. This will enable the government to take corrective measures in case
of any deviations from the desired outcome. The real-time monitoring mechanism will be implemented
across all PDS outlets in the country.

Timeline:
The proposed solution will be implemented over a period of one year, starting from June 2023. The
timeline for each of the components is as follows:

Comprehensive survey - June to August 2023

Communication campaign - July to December 2023

Mobile-based Aadhaar authentication devices - September to November 2023

Grievance redressal mechanism - October to December 2023

Real-time monitoring mechanism – Ongoing

Proposal to Seek Funds:

To implement the proposed solution, we are seeking a grant of INR 500 crores from the government. The
grant will be used to cover the following expenses:

Comprehensive survey - INR 100 crores

Communication campaign - INR 150 crores