West Bengal Digital Ration Card: Eligibility, Application & Use

The ration card is one of the important documents that every citizen of India needs to hold. The ration card has several advantages to offer. It helps you be a part of the different government-sponsored programs and at the same time, it also gives you the eligibility to get different items at subsided rates from time to time.

If you too will like to get your digital ration card, we are going to give you a detailed step-by-step guide. This will allow you to start registering for it and ultimately have it delivered to your home. So, go ahead and read the details to get acquainted with the specifics of the whole process.

The Digital Era

West Bengal Government decided to come up with the innovative idea of offering a virtual ration card. This means that the ration card for the citizens has been made digitally accessible and can be obtained on their phones. This infers that one will not be required to carry the physical ration card whenever they want to use it for various purposes.

There is no denying the fact that introducing a digital ration card is a huge move and is aligned with the country’s goal of digital India. This might be a small start in a bigger scheme of things and could help in the significant digitization of various documents.

The History Of The West Bengal Digital Ration Card

The West Bengal digital ration card is also known as the Khadya Sathi Program and it completed its sixth anniversary on January 27th, 2022. So, the Bengal Government decided to celebrate this day as Khadya Sathi Day. Under this scheme, the government of Bengal was able to offer food security to as many as 10 million people.

Here are some of the objectives as listed in the West Bengal digital ration card scheme.

Both rice and wheat would be sold for Rs. 2/kg through the West Bengal digital ration card or the Khadya Sathi system. As many as 7 crore residents which make up to 90 percent of the state’s population ended up benefitting from this plan.

Along with this, the West Bengal government also made the ration available to as many as 50 lakh inhabitants at a subsidized price. The price would be half of that which is the current market price. To avail of this discounted price, you will need to apply to the Khadya Sathi program.

The List Of Documents

If you want to apply for the new digital ration card, here is the list of documents that you need to have to make sure the application process is successful.

Mobile number for validating your application
Aadhaar card as ID proof
Voter ID for the sake of additional identification
Old ration card (if applicable)
Proof of age
Email address, as a means of communication
PAN Card

The Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the New West Bengal digital ration card program, there are certain eligibility criteria that one needs to meet.

First of all, the candidate needs to be a resident of West Bengal both permanently and legally
Newlyweds also are eligible to apply for the new ration card
The individual does not have an existing ration card to apply for the new one
Those who have already applied for an emergency food stamp can also apply for the new ration card under this program

The Eligibility For West Bengal Ration Card Dealers

If you stay in West Bengal and you want to apply to become a ration card dealer, there are several different steps you need to know of.

Here are some of the requirements that you need to meet to become a dealer of digital ration card.

You should have sufficient space to unload the supplies
You need to have an adequate amount of warehouse space where you can keep all new materials and foodstuff without them being damaged
You should have smooth and easy access to computers to record the information on the ration card users, the pick of stuff, the allocation to people, the assignment and so on.
The dealer needs to hand over the land consolidation certificate so that it can be kept in the godown
You should be able to both read and write in the native languages so that you can communicate with the local people with ease
If you have a rented warehouse, you need to provide the lease agreement and any other supporting document

The Offline Process To Apply For West Bengal Digital Ration Card

Here are the steps you need to follow to complete the digital ration card application in offline mode.

Head to the official website and download the application form from it
Fill in the required information and then complete the form
Now, add all the necessary attachments to it as stated
Submit it to the rationing supervisor, the investigator, or even the food supply executive who is in charge of the area

Online Application For The Digital Ration Card

Here are the steps to be followed when you want to apply for the digital ration card in an online manner.

Head to the official website

Bengal Ration Card Home Page — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Now click on ‘Click here to apply for a non-subsidized ration or you can choose to transition to a non-subsidized ration card

e citizen service options — Source: WB PDS Official Site

You will be asked to enter the mobile number
Now choose the ‘Get PIN’ option
Fill in the OTP

mobile number — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Head over to the Validate tab to verify the number
Choose your reference and then complete the application
Now choose the ‘Show Member’ checkbox
The information will be displayed for you
If you want to add information about other members of your family, hover over the option ‘Enter Another Member’
Now, choose ‘Save and view application’
Check all the details and then click on the Submit button
The registration number will then be generated and you need to note it for subsequent uses

If you are looking to sign in to the portal, here are the steps you need to follow.

Head to the official website and on the home page, hover over the ‘For official purpose’ option
On this, click the official login link
It will open a new page wherein you need to fill in the requested particulars

official login — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Now, you will be able to log in to the portal as an official

Viewing The Online User Guide

Here are the steps to be followed to check the online user guide

Head to the official website and move to the home page
Now choose the option that says ‘User Guide for the online application’
On clicking the above option, you will find a PDF of the user manual. This will be immediately shown on your screen
Choose the download button to download it to your system

The Ration Card Vendors – The Application Process

When you are looking to apply for the ration card as a vendor, here are the steps you need to follow.

Visit the official website of the West Bengal digital ration card
On the home page, click on the ‘e-Citizen’ link
Choose the WB Ration distribution application form
You will be able to download this form on your device
Make sure to take the printout of the form
Fill in the important particulars as asked in the form.
Make sure to fill in the details duly and don’t miss out on any of the fields.
Now, head to the very bottom of the form and then read all the terms and conditions that are mentioned there.
Submit the form with all of the necessary attachments
Make sure to check all the details in the preview
Once you have done that, you can hand over the form to the relevant person so that your application can be reviewed and subsequently considered.

How To Change The Category?

If you want to change the category of your application from RKSY II to RKSY I, here are the steps you need to follow

First of all, head to the official website
Now, on the main page, you need to hover at the ‘e-Citizen’ option and choose it
Now click on ‘Apply to modify the category’
Here, you need to enter your mobile number and then click on, ‘Receive OTP’
Once you receive the OTP on your phone, enter the code
Now you will see a new page
Add the different details that are requested
When you have duly filled in the details, click on the Submit button

Applying For A Non-Subsidized Ration Card

Head to the official website and go to the home page

On this page, hover over the ‘e-Citizen’ option and choose it
Now, you need to choose the non-subsidized ration card application option
Here, you will be asked to enter your phone number so that you can get the OTP
When you receive the OTP, enter it in the OTP box
On the page that pops, you need to fill in all the details that have been requested
Make sure to duly fill in the particulars and double-check that they are right
Click on the submit button

Checking The West Bengal Digital Ration Card Status

If you have filed an application and you would like to know what is the current ration card status, you can do it using the portal too. Here are the steps you need to follow.

Head to the PDS portal West Bengal by clicking here
Now you will land up on the main page of the website
An option called ‘Search your ration card status’ will pop on the site

search ration card — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Fill in the particulars as requested on the site
Make sure to add all the information correctly and check it again
Now hit on the ‘Search’ option
You will be able to see the application status right away and know where it currently stands

Procedure For Requesting A Replacement Of Ration Card

If you want to replace the ration card, here are some of the steps that you must follow.

Head to the official website and land on the home page
Now, hover over the ‘e-Citizen’ option and then you will find several functions
Choose the ‘Apply for a duplicate ration card’ button
Now, a new page will pop up which will ask you to fill in several particulars
Make sure to fill in the details as mentioned and then click on Submit

Steps To Add A Family Member

If you are looking to add a member to your ration card allocation, here are the simple steps you need to follow.

First of all, choose to move to the website of the department of food and supply by the West Bengal government
On the page that loads, head to the ‘e-Citizen’ tab
Now choose the option that reads ‘Apply for a new ration card for a new member of the family
A separate page will come up
You should fill all the formations as required on that page
Make sure to double-check the information and then click on the Submit button
Your application will be processed

Steps To Altering Name Or Other Particulars

Head to the official website by clicking
Now hover over the ‘e-Citizen’ option in the drop-down menu and select it
Go to the ration card and then click on the option that allows you to modify your name, address, and any other information as well.
A new page will cope up asking you to fill in more details
Make sure to add all the important information
Check whether the information entered is correct and then click on the Submit bottom

Procedure To Submit Or Withdraw The Card

If you want to submit or withdraw the card, here are the steps that you need to follow.

Head to the official website and land on the home page
On this page, hover over the option and select the ‘e-Citizen’ tab
Now, on the page, several different functions will be listed. Choose the ‘Apply to surrender or delete card’ button
You will now be prompted to enter your phone number after which you have to click on ‘Get OTP’
When you have received the OTP, fill it in the designated place
A new page will pop up that will ask for several details
Make sure to fill all of it accurately and then double-check these
Now, click on the Submit button

How To Check The West Bengal Digital Ration Card List?

Here are the series of steps that you need to follow for the sake of checking the ration card list and determining whether you have been able to get on this list or not.

Here are the steps to be followed.

Head to the official website and then move to the home page
Choose the ‘NFSA Reports’ option

WB Ration card list — Source: WB PDS Official Site

In the dropdown box, choose ‘View Ration Card Count (NFSA & State Scheme)
On the screen, you will see the complete list of ration beneficiaries segregated based on district
Now, you need to filter the details with the help of the region
You will have to choose an FPS name
The information will then be displayed on the screen

How To Download The Digital Ration Card?

Head to the official website for the West Bengal Digital Ration Card and then move to the home page
Hover over to the different options and then choose the ‘e-Citizen’ option
In the several functions that are present, choose ‘Ration card link’
You then need to click on the ‘Download e-Ration card’ button to proceed
A new page will pop up which will ask you to enter your mobile number
You then need to press on ‘Get OTP’ button.
Upon receiving the OTP, fill it in the appropriate box
Once you have filled that in, you then need to click the ‘Verify’ button
This will display your e-Ration card on the screen
If you want to download a copy to your system, click on the Download button

Steps To Explore The West Bengal Digital Ration Card Information

Follow these steps to get the ration card information with ease

Head to the official website and then on the home page, click on the ‘e-Citizen’ portal
Now head to the option that reads ‘Search your Ration Card Details’
A new page will come up
In this you need to choose the right search category and then based on the chosen category, you will be asked to fill in several particulars
Make sure to fill in these details and then click on the ‘Search’ button
The computer will display the ration card information for you

How To View Reports?

If you are looking to view reports, here are the steps to be followed

Head to the official website and then move to the home page
Now, click on the option that says ‘Reports Link’
A new page will pop up which will show you several reports

You need to peruse this list and then choose the report that you wish to obtain
Upon selecting the report, a new page will pop up and will ask you for several particulars
Make sure to add all the details accurately and then click on the Submit button
The data will then pop on your screen and you can check the reports duly

How To Locate The Nearest Ration Shop?

If you want to locate the nearest ration shop, here are the steps to be followed.

Head to the official website and then you will land on the home page
Now, choose the ‘e-Citizen’ option from the dropdown list
From the options that are listed, choose the option that reads ‘Find a store near you‘
Make sure to include options like DDPS/DR, DCFS/JD, SCFS/RO and even Block Office
Now, select the option that reads ‘Show FPS’
The list will be generated on screen for you to view and locate the nearest shop

Spotting The Wholesaler Information Via Location

If you are looking to spot the wholesaler information, here are the steps to be followed

Head to the official website and then land on the main page
Among the options that are generated, choose the ‘e-Citizen’ option
Now, choose the option that reads ‘Location-based list of wholesalers/distributors
Now you need to select Directorate, DDPS/JD, SCFS/RO, and the type as well
Click on the option that reads ‘Display Wholesaler’ link
The listing will be generated on the screen

location specific info — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Steps To Download The Online West Bengal Digital Ration Card

Here are the steps that you should follow to download the West Bengal ration card.

Head to the official website and then land on the main page
On the webpage, there will be several options. Choose the ration card
A new page will pop up which will ask you to enter your ration card number. Do so.
Now, choose the category as applicable
Now, click on the download button and the electronic ration card will be downloaded to your device

How To Check The Status Of West Bengal Digital Ration Card Applications

Here are the simple steps that you can follow.

Head to the official site and then move to the home page
Now, choose the option that reads ‘Ration card application status
A new page will pop up and you will then need to select the form type

digital ration card status — Source: WB PDS Official Site

You then need to enter your mobile number along with the captcha and you have to press the ‘Search’ button
This will allow you to see the status of your application

How To Check The Status Of Farmer Enrollment?

Here are the steps to be followed.

Head to the official website and land on the main page
You then need to click on the ‘Status check’ link
A new page will pop up where you need to enter your registration number, along with the phone number and the captcha
Now, click on the submit button
Now, you will be asked to enter your reference number
This will activate the check status button
When you click on it, the details will be displayed for you.

How To View The Electronic Billing Module

Here are the steps to be followed for the sake of viewing the electronic billing module

Head to the official website and you will land on the home page
Click on the option that says ‘Online Billing Module’
A new page will pop up
The online billing module will be available here

How To Verify The Payment Status?

Here are the steps you need to follow.

Head to the official website and land on the home page
Click on the option that says ‘Payment status check’ and then you will need to enter the details of your payment

payment status — Source: WB PDS Official Site

To complete the process, you will have to enter the data as requested on the page
The next step is to click on the ‘Check payment status’ button
Now, the information will be displayed for you

Steps To Register A Rice Mill

Head to the official website and you will land on the home page
Click on the Register button to complete the process
A registration form will pop up that you need to fill

register rice mill — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Now, enter the contact credentials. Make sure to fill in all the particulars duly
Finally, click on the Register button

How To Check The Rice Mill Registration Status?

Log in to the official website
You need to click on the ‘Status’ button
A new page will pop up that will ask you to log in
Enter the login credentials and then click on ‘Submit’

rice mill status — Source: WB PDS Official Site

Enter the application reference number
Now, click on the ‘Check Status’ button and the status can then be viewed

How To Link Aadhar Card With West Bengal Digital Ration Card

If you want to link your Aadhar card with the ration card, there are two ways of doing so – online and offline.