Link your EPIC number with ration card immediately

Even though the Karnataka state government has made it mandatory for all ration cards holders in the State to link their Elector's Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number with ration card number, a majority of people are still unaware of the scheme, which was launched during the second week of May.

Officials in the Food and Civil Supplies Department said that they had to extend the deadline to register EPIC numbers and also that of the adult members of their families with the department to July 31 in view of poor response from the people.

Officials said that initially 40 lakh ration card holders who got their cards before 2010 and have not renewed the same should furnish the EPIC and UID?numbers before July 31 this year, failing which their cards would be suspended. As per the new scheme, all those BPL, APL, and Antyodaya ration card holders are expected to link their EPIC number with the ration cards.

Nearly 20 lakh new applicants, who are yet to receive their cards, will also have to furnish their EPIC and UID numbers. Cards will be distributed to them only after they furnish the numbers. Beneficiaries who have got their cards after 2010 will also have to provide EPIC and UID details, but no deadline has been set for them as of now.

While furnishing UID?is not mandatory, applications/cards of beneficiaries who provide the same would be given priority and processed faster, Rao said.

Applicants who provide UID?number will not be asked to provide their biometric details. Henceforth, no introducer will be required while applying for a new ration card. The EPIC?and UID?numbers need to be furnished via mobile phone.

Food and Civil Supplies Department Commissioner Harsh Gupta said these numbers, once collected, would be electronically validated by comparing with the database of the Election Commission of India and the Unique Identification Authority of India.

The mobile phone, from which the information was sent, would be registered for the particular ration card. Persons sending wrong information willfully would be liable for criminal prosecution.

Ration card holders who do not send the required information would be placed under suspect category and would be taken up for verification through house visits, Gupta said.

Procedure to furnish details

? For existing card holders type RCMOB followed by a space and ration card number, then send this sms to the number 9212357123. (Example: RCMOB CKM06122462)

? The new applicants should type RCMOB followed by a space and then mention their application number and send the sms to 9212357123. (Example: RCMOB 201005385)

? Using the same mobile phone type RCEPIC followed by a space, then mention their EPIC number and send the sms to 9212357123

? In the next step furnish the EPIC numbers of all the family members one by one in the same manner. (Example: RCEPIC WZU0400648, RCEPIC RDU1645944)

? Then send the UID number also from the same mobile phone by typing RCUID followed by a space and typing exact UID number, then send the sms to 9212357123. Then similarly submit the UID numbers of all the family members one by one.