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Schemes

Rice card (ration card)
In Andhra Pradesh you apply at the village or ward secretariat for a new rice card (ration card), or to add or remove members or change details on your card.
For whom: Families living in Andhra Pradesh who need a rice card to draw rice at the fair price shop, or a change to the card they have.
Published on 31-10-2026. Not every fact has been checked against its official source yet: confirm at the office.
Answer a few questions to see which steps apply to you. The whole guide is below.

Documents you need

•
Aadhaar of every family member (the numbers)
original
If you don't have it:
→ Getting a new Aadhaar
•
The number of the rice card your names are on now (the parents' card)
original
•
Your rice card (its number)
original
•
Birth certificate (for a baby) or marriage certificate (for someone who married into the family)
copy
If you don't have it:
→ Birth certificate
Not confirmed: Whether the original is also needed is not confirmed; take both.
•
The new member's Aadhaar (for e-KYC)
original
If you don't have it:
→ Getting a new Aadhaar

Steps

Only if
What do you need? A new rice card for our family · Does your family have any of these? More than 3 acres of wet land, more than 10 acres of dry land, or more than 10 acres of both together. A government employee. A member who pays income tax. Its own car or other four-wheeler (a taxi, auto or farm tractor does not count). An owned or rented home using on average more than 300 units of electricity a month. In a town: its own house of more than 750 sq ft (other than a government housing scheme house). None of these
1.
Go to your village or ward secretariat and ask for the "New Rice Card" service. Give the Aadhaar numbers of everyone in the family. As far as possible, the eldest woman over 18 in the household is the head, and the card is issued in her name.
🏢 Your village or ward secretariat
📎 Aadhaar of every family member (the numbers)
Not confirmed: The Civil Supplies Department lists this as a village and ward secretariat (GSWS) service. The secretariat portals that give each service's documents, fee and time limit could not be opened safely (problems with their security certificates). So we could not confirm what else is needed besides the documents named here, what it costs or how many days it takes. Ask at the secretariat before you apply.
Only if
What do you need? We married and live as a separate family; our own card, apart from the parents' card · Does your family have any of these? More than 3 acres of wet land, more than 10 acres of dry land, or more than 10 acres of both together. A government employee. A member who pays income tax. Its own car or other four-wheeler (a taxi, auto or farm tractor does not count). An owned or rented home using on average more than 300 units of electricity a month. In a town: its own house of more than 750 sq ft (other than a government housing scheme house). None of these
2.
At the secretariat, ask for the "Splitting of Rice Card" service. When a son marries and lives with his wife and children as a separate family, their names are taken off the mother's card and they get a card of their own. A minor, or a wife who leaves her husband's card only to get an extra card, cannot get a separate card.
🏢 Your village or ward secretariat
📎 The number of the rice card your names are on now (the parents' card), Aadhaar of every family member (the numbers)
Not confirmed: The Control Order also requires the family's details to be in the Praja Sadhikara Survey; ask at the secretariat whether this still applies. Under the rules, a dependent parent, a single woman over 35 and a person with a disability count as separate households even under one roof; ask whether this service is for them too. The Civil Supplies Department lists this as a village and ward secretariat (GSWS) service. The secretariat portals that give each service's documents, fee and time limit could not be opened safely (problems with their security certificates). So we could not confirm what else is needed besides the documents named here, what it costs or how many days it takes. Ask at the secretariat before you apply.
Only if
What do you need? Add a new member to our card (a newborn, or someone who married into the family)
3.
At the secretariat, ask for the "Member Addition in Rice Card" service. Give the birth certificate for a newborn, or the marriage certificate for someone who married into the family. The new member's Aadhaar e-KYC is done.
🏢 Your village or ward secretariat
📎 Your rice card (its number), Birth certificate (for a baby) or marriage certificate (for someone who married into the family), The new member's Aadhaar (for e-KYC)
Not confirmed: The 2018 Control Order says members are added through MeeSeva; the department's website now lists it as a secretariat service. The Civil Supplies Department lists this as a village and ward secretariat (GSWS) service. The secretariat portals that give each service's documents, fee and time limit could not be opened safely (problems with their security certificates). So we could not confirm what else is needed besides the documents named here, what it costs or how many days it takes. Ask at the secretariat before you apply.
Only if
What do you need? Remove someone from our card
4.
At the secretariat, ask for the "Member Deletion in Rice Card" service. Say whose name should come off and why.
🏢 Your village or ward secretariat
📎 Your rice card (its number)
Not confirmed: We found no official list of the proof needed (for example a death certificate). The Civil Supplies Department lists this as a village and ward secretariat (GSWS) service. The secretariat portals that give each service's documents, fee and time limit could not be opened safely (problems with their security certificates). So we could not confirm what else is needed besides the documents named here, what it costs or how many days it takes. Ask at the secretariat before you apply.
Only if
What do you need? Change the address or details, correct a wrong Aadhaar seeding, or surrender the card
5.
At the secretariat, ask for the service you need: "Change of Address in Rice Card", "Change of Details in Rice Card", "Correction of Wrong Aadhaar Seeding", or "Surrender of Rice Card".
🏢 Your village or ward secretariat
📎 Your rice card (its number)
Not confirmed: The Civil Supplies Department lists this as a village and ward secretariat (GSWS) service. The secretariat portals that give each service's documents, fee and time limit could not be opened safely (problems with their security certificates). So we could not confirm what else is needed besides the documents named here, what it costs or how many days it takes. Ask at the secretariat before you apply.
Only if
What do you need? A new rice card for our family / We married and live as a separate family; our own card, apart from the parents' card · Does your family have any of these? More than 3 acres of wet land, more than 10 acres of dry land, or more than 10 acres of both together. A government employee. A member who pays income tax. Its own car or other four-wheeler (a taxi, auto or farm tractor does not count). An owned or rented home using on average more than 300 units of electricity a month. In a town: its own house of more than 750 sq ft (other than a government housing scheme house). None of these
6.
Wait for the check. The Tahsildar (Revenue) or the Circle Assistant Supply Officer (Civil Supplies) is responsible for putting an eligible household on the list and issuing the card.
🏛️ The mandal Tahsildar office, or the Circle Assistant Supply Officer
7.
Once the card is approved, ask at the secretariat where and when you will get it, and collect it. The government now prints QR-code smart ration cards.
🏢 Your village or ward secretariat
Not confirmed: We read only the January 2026 order sanctioning funds to print QR-code smart ration cards. We found no official page on how the card reaches you.
Only if
What do you need? A new rice card for our family / We married and live as a separate family; our own card, apart from the parents' card / Add a new member to our card (a newborn, or someone who married into the family) / Remove someone from our card
8.
Each month, anyone named on the card can draw the ration at any fair price shop with an ePoS machine. Give the card number or Aadhaar number and confirm with fingerprint, iris or face. Under the National Food Security Act, priority households get 5 kg of foodgrains per person a month, and Antyodaya (AAY) households 35 kg per household. Always ask for the ePoS receipt. If the biometric check fails every time, the VRO or Ward Revenue Secretary confirms it instead.
🏛️ Any fair price (ration) shop with an ePoS machine
📎 Your rice card (its number)

You cannot get this

Under the Andhra Pradesh TPDS (Control) Order, 2018, rice cards are issued for family members who are citizens of India and residents of the State. The order does not say whether an Indian citizen living abroad counts. Before you apply, or if you want to stay on a card, ask at the village or ward secretariat or the Tahsildar office, or call the toll-free number 1967.
Not confirmed: We found no official rule that says whether this applies to Indian citizens living abroad; only that office can tell you.

You cannot get this

Under the 2018 Control Order, rice cards cover only family members who are Indian citizens. Under the Ministry of Home Affairs notification S.O. 1050(E) of 4 March 2021, an OCI cardholder is a foreign national holding a foreign passport, not an Indian citizen. So an OCI cardholder cannot be on a rice card.

You cannot get this

Under the 2018 Control Order, rice cards cover only family members who are Indian citizens. A foreign national cannot be on a rice card.

You cannot get this

Under the 2019 amendment to the Food Security Rules, a rice card needs the family's income to be up to ₹10,000 a month (₹1.20 lakh a year) in a village, or ₹12,000 a month (₹1.44 lakh a year) in a town.
Not confirmed: These are the 2019 limits, the latest rule we could read. Ask at the secretariat whether they have changed since.

You cannot get this

Under the Food Security Rules, 2017 (as amended in 2017 and 2019), a family with land over the limit, a government employee or income tax payer, its own four-wheeler, more than 300 units of electricity a month on average, or (in a town) its own house of over 750 sq ft does not get a rice card.
Not confirmed: Ask at the secretariat whether contract or outsourced staff count under this exclusion. These are the latest rules we could read; ask too whether they have changed.

If something goes wrong

If it is rejected
If a card is refused or cancelled, you can appeal to the District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO) within 30 days of getting the order. The DGRO is to decide, as far as practicable, within 30 working days. If you disagree with that decision, you can file a revision petition with the Andhra Pradesh State Food Commission within 30 days of receiving it. You can also go to the Commission if your complaint to the DGRO is not resolved after 30 days.
District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO), District Collectorate
Not confirmed: By the 2020 amendment the DGRO is the Joint Collector (Aasara and Welfare). The post's name may have changed since; ask at the Collectorate.
If it is late
If your application is delayed, you can complain free of charge to the Tahsildar or the Circle Assistant Supply Officer: in person, in writing, or by calling the Civil Supplies toll-free number 1967 (or 1800 425 0082). By the rules a complaint is to be settled within 15 days and you are told within 7 days after that; if it is not, it goes up to the next level. You can also file a grievance on PGRS: at the secretariat, at the Collectorate on Mondays, on pgrs.ap.gov.in, or by calling 1100.
Civil Supplies consumer helpline (toll-free)
📞 1967
Not confirmed: We found no official time limit for a new card or a change; ask at the secretariat.
If you are asked for more money
There is no fee for a food security complaint. If anyone asks for a bribe, call the ACB toll-free on 1064, or email complaints-acb@ap.gov.in. Do not pay agents who offer to speed things up.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)
📞 1064
Not confirmed: We could not confirm any fee for these services at the secretariat; ask before you pay and take a receipt.
Also
If the shop does not give you your ration though you have a card, weighs short or charges more, complain to the Tahsildar, Assistant Supply Officer, RDO or the DGRO, or call 1967. A card must not be cancelled because you did not draw the ration. If you do not get your foodgrains, you have a right to a food security allowance, and the DGRO can order the ration to be given within 7 days.
Civil Supplies consumer helpline (toll-free)
📞 1967

Related guides

→ Getting a new Aadhaar→ Updating your Aadhaar→ Income certificate→ Birth certificate→ Residence certificate
Not confirmed: These limits are from the 2019 amendment (G.O.Ms.No.12), the latest rule we could read. Ask at the secretariat whether they have changed since.
Not confirmed: The 2017 amendment (G.O.Ms.No.15) deleted the words that kept contract employees out of the government-employee exclusion. Ask at the secretariat whether contract or outsourced staff count. The 2019 amendment says households of sanitation workers in government service must not be left out, whatever their pay.
Updated on 30-10-2026
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