19,000 digitized, free ration for April–May assured
Jammu, May 07: In continuation of the earlier meeting, Principal Secretary, Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction, Chandraker Bharti, chaired a review meeting to assess the implementation of ration distribution under the Special Relief Ration Scheme for Kashmiri/Jammu Migrants, notified vide Government Order No. 15-JK(FCS&CA) of 2026 dated 05.03.2026, and the extension of social sector scheme benefits to the eligible migrants.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Saurabh Bhagat, Relief & Rehabilitation Commissioner (M), J&K, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, State Informatics Officer, NIC J&K and senior officers of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction, Social Welfare Department, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department and National Informatics Centre.
It was observed that more than 19,000 migrant ration cards have already been punched into the NFSA database and the process of integration of about 8,000 migrant ration cards is in the pipeline. It was apprised that the full quota of ration has been made available at all designated ration depots and more than 5200 families have, so far, lifted the ration in terms of the Special Relief Ration Scheme, distribution in terms of which has commenced w.e.f. 18-04-2026. It was further informed that those who could not lift ration in the month of April are being provided two months’ free ration (April & May 2026).
Worthwhile to mention that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has made necessary amendments in the Jammu & Kashmir Food Security Rules, 2021, and the Targeted Public Distribution (Control) Order 2023 for integration of the Migrant Ration Cards into the National Food Security Act (NFSA) database, to enable the migrants avail the benefits of various Government Schemes. The migrants were not able to avail the benefits of the social sector schemes for the last 35 years due to their ration cards being non-digitized and not integrated with the national database.
The Government, in terms of various Government Orders and notifications, has repeatedly clarified that the earlier scale of ration distribution to the migrants registered under the relief category and norms/procedures for inclusion, deletion, bifurcation, conversion and corrections, etc shall continue and that all relief ration card holders (irrespective of categorization into PHH, NPHH or Special category) shall continue to receive 11 Kg free ration per person per month and 1 Kg sugar as per the extant scale of ration distribution. Besides, those registered with the Relief Organisation under the non relief category (Pensioners etc) and categorized into NPHH category will also receive 5 Kg ration on the Government-approved rates as per their entitlement under NFSA on cost basis.
The Government has also given an extension in the distribution period of ration against the migrant ration cards for the month of April 2026 into May 2026 (in addition to the ration of May 2026), so as to ensure that migrant beneficiaries are not deprived of their entitled ration. It was assured by the Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department that all eligible migrant beneficiaries shall be provided free ration as per their entitlement and no genuine beneficiary shall suffer on account of the transition to the NFSA based digitized system.
It was also decided that the officers of DMRRR, FCS&CA, and Relief Organization shall take proactive steps to reach out to all households and ensure ration supply to all migrant beneficiaries who have enrolled for integration on NFSA database, even if e-KYC formalities are pending/ in process. It was decided that extensive IEC campaign shall be launched on ground to make migrants aware that the integration of migrant ration cards into NFSA database is purely a welfare-oriented governance reform aimed at inclusion of migrants into the mainstream welfare architecture, extension of social security benefits, digitization and modernization of records, transparency and accountability in beneficiary management. Under the new dispensation, the continuation and protection of all the existing relief provisions/guidelines/entitlements available to Kashmiri/Jammu Migrants is being ensured.
The directions were also issued for strict action against those FPS dealers who do not abide by the Government directions to dispense free ration to eligible categories as per the entitled scale. Instructions were also issued for strict legal action against rumour-mongering elements trying to derail the government-approved scheme and intimidating the migrant beneficiaries to join protests. The officers were directed to ensure close supervision of the integration of migration ration cards and e-KYC in field and supervise ration distribution at FPS level.
It was also decided that more special camps shall be organized by the Social Welfare Department in coordination with Relief Organization to reach out to the eligible potential beneficiaries and facilitate them in filling various online applications for availing benefits of different social sector schemes like Old Age Pension, Widow Pension, Disability Pension, Marriage Assistance, Ayushman Bharat and various scholarships. About 600 families have so far availed the benefit of various social sector schemes after the integration of migrant ration cards into NFSA database.
“The government is fully committed to operationalize the new scheme for all the migrants within the shortest time period and will make full efforts to achieve the same. All the genuine migrant beneficiaries will be provided ration as per the entitlement with full protection of the existing relief provisions,” maintained the Principal Secretary.
