No new ration cards in State for now

KOCHI: Those seeking new ration cards in Kerala will have to wait until the middle of next year.

Unable to cope with the heavy rush for new ration cards, the Civil Supplies Department has stopped accepting applications.

This has come as a disappointment to lakhs of people, mainly the low-income group who make use of the public distribution system (PDS) which provides food grains at a very low price.

Since the ration card is now used as a basic document of identification for an entire family, which needs to be presented for contacts with the official machinery for a variety of purposes, the delay will cause hardship to a large number of people.