LUCKNOW, May 28 -- In a major relief to married women, the Uttar Pradesh government has simplified the transfer of their names from their parental ration card to their in-laws' ration card under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The new system aims to eliminate manual hassles and ensure that no eligibl e beneficiary loses entitlements due to marriage-related migration. The move, it is said, will particularly benefit rural women and reinforce the government's commitment to efficient and inclusive welfare delivery. "After successful trial, we have started a new system under which a woman can easily get her unit (name) transferred from her parental ration card to her husband's ration card, without any inconvenience. She does not need to get her name deleted from the parent's ration card and then again run to get the name added in the in-laws' ration card," said Ranvir Prasad, principal secretary, food and civil supplies. "The government feels that no woman, after her marriage, should be deprived of NFSA benefit or face difficulties in avail benefits after marriage," he added. Currently, women who get married and move to another village/city are required to apply afresh for inclusion in their new family's ration card, often facing cumbersome procedures, delays, and in many cases, the loss of food security units altogether. "Under the existing system, a woman has to first get her name deleted from the parents' ration card after marriage, and then get her name added to her husband's ration card after producing marriage proof. This is a very cumbersome process and takes months to complete," said Satyadev, additional commissioner (civil supplies). Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), each member of a priority household is entitled to 5 kg of highly subsidised foodgrains every month. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, this wheat/rice has been provided free of cost to eligible families. In contrast, Antyodaya households - the poorest of the poor - receive a fixed 35 kg of foodgrain per ration card every month, regardless of the number of family members. Uttar Pradesh has about 3.60 crore ration cards covering over 14 crore beneficiaries, 97% of which are registered in the names of women, under both categories. To address the issue of women having difficulties in getting their names added to the ration card of in-laws/husband, the department of food and civil supplies developed a special software that will ensure smooth and swift transfer of NFSA units from the parental family's ration card to that of the in-laws. "The NIC has developed the unit transfer software enabling any woman to apply online to get her name transferred from her parents' ration card to that of her in-laws/husband in a smooth manner," Satyadev explained, adding: "The process will get completed just in two weeks from the date of filing an application online. Under the new system, self-declaration is enough without any requirement of producing any document as proof of marriage."...