Ration Card Kerala – How to Apply, Forms, Check Online Status

Kerala is located in the southern most part of the country and it is often referred to as God’s own country. The state has beautiful tourist spots. The economy of Kerala is mainly dependent on tourism and agriculture. Just like the rest of the states in India, the government of Kerala also provides food at a subsidized rate to the residents of the state who are living below the poverty line. To avail these benefits, you need to have the ration card. Since the old days, the process to apply for ration card in Kerala has changed a lot.

In this article, we are going to talk about the steps that are involved in the application procedure for Ration Card in Kerala. So, check out the sections below to get the required information.

Eligibility Criteria and Documents Required

There are mainly four different ration cards offered by the government in Kerala. These cards include Yellow Card, Pink Card, Blue Card, and White Card. The Yellow card comes with the maximum benefits and the White ones are the least beneficial since they are a non-priority card. If you are not sure about the documents required to get Ration Card in Kerala then do not worry. Here are the documents that you need before you start applying for ration card

• Aadhaar Card
• Certificate from Ward Councillor
• Date of Birth Proof
• Passport Size photo

There is no need of getting an income certificate since you will be getting a certificate from the ward councillor. This serves as a guarantee that you are eligible to apply for a ration card under the desired category. Let us now look at the different ways to apply for ration card in Kerala.

The process to Apply for Ration Card via Online Mode

The government of Kerala recently introduced the procedure to apply for ration card via Online medium. Below are the detailed steps for the same.

• Visit the official Civil Supplies Department Website to start the process. The link to the website is http://ecitizen.civilsupplieskerala.gov.in/index.php/c_login and you need to click on Create an Account to begin the procedure.
• Complete the registration by entering the details and activate your account as well. Once the account has been activated, go ahead and login to your account using the User Name and Password that you selected during registration.
• Once you login, you will see an option for applying for new ration card. You need to click on the same and in the next step, you need to fill in the details in the application form. Remember to verify the details after entering them in the application.
• Upload the requested documents in PDF Format and submit the application.
• This also requires an additional step. You need to take the print out of the form and submit it at Taluk Supply Office. While submitting, you will need to have original documents for verification.
• Post submission, take the acknowledgement form and you will be good to go ahead. This step would complete the application procedure for ration card online.

The process to Apply for Ration Card via Offline Mode

If you wish to apply for ration card via offline medium then you can follow the process listed below

• You need to visit the TSO or DSO office in your area and you need to purchase the form from them.
• Once you have the form, you will need to fill in the details. It is mandatory to enter the details of all family members and the details should also match up with what you have on documents.
• Attach the required documents and submit it back to TSO or DSO office along with the application fee. They will then give you an application number along with an acknowledgement receipt.

What happens after submission of Online / Offline Form?

After the submission of the form, the department starts the verification procedure. This is done in several parts and mostly, the details are matched with the UIDAI database. In some of the cases, the physical verification is carried out. It takes around 15 days for the process to be completed. So, within 15 days of your application, the ration card will be delivered to you at your home. The services of Indian Post are used to deliver the ration card to you.

Steps to Track Ration Card

The system to track the ration card online is still not available. The option that you have here is to visit the TSO or DSO office along with acknowledgement receipt and check the status of the ration card. To track the card, you need to ensure that you keep the acknowledgement slip carefully until the delivery of ration card. Also, we recommend you to wait 15 days before going ahead and checking the ration card details.

Conclusion

This was the complete procedure to apply for ration card in Kerala. For any other information, you must reach out to TSO or DSO in your area. They will be able to help you with your query. We also recommend you to follow the online route as this can speed up the procedure for you.