r2i forum

A question for those who have r2ied to chennai as an USC

Are USC/OCI eligible for ration cards?If so how easy/tough was it to procure one?
From what I understand ration card is a very important identification document (akin to drivers license in US) and it will be useful to posses one esp. for getting LPG connections etc.

Can anyone share their experience?
Thanks

dunno if USC are eligible for ration cards...

but no one asks for those Q's when you apply for one...

just driving license, previous ration card name entry( in parents card) etc...

I applied for one so that I can get LPG connection and went thru a minor struggle to get the NOC..

Ration card takes time in Chennai and so a NOC is enough to get LPG connections and even that is a struggle...

those guys in the office should put a board straight away saying 300 rs for NOC and it would be a breeze instead of making people run around... paying auto guys 100 Rs one way to get to the office and then having to go back to collect some document or xerox and paying more money to auto guys...

lots of waste of time, effort and money... they can name the price of premium services and it would save people a lot of headaches...

Not sure if you are eligible or not. For me I don't treat myself as USC and everything goes as smooth as it is(did not mean the process to get a ration card). It is a hassle to get a ration card. Ran from pillar to post and still did not receive my ration card but atleast got the receipt from ration office with which a gas connection can be requested.

I am an USC.

The procedure to apply for LPG is (No bribe required):
(a) Apply for ration card. Make a copy of the application after it has been stamped with the "Received" stamp.
(b) Write a letter to IOC Customer Relations officer requesting an LPG connection
(c) Take it to IOC customer relations officer at IOC building next to Karimuthu Center in Teynampet (this is where Cenatoph road and mount road intersect)
(d) The Customer Relations officer will scribble something on your letter and stamp it again. Take that letter to a local LPG office.
(d) You will get the connection the same day.

The whole procedure can be done by your watchman or driver and can be done in a 1 - 3 days. You don't have to personally visit any of these offices.

For all other ID purposes, you can use your local drivers license. The procedure for that is very simple. YOu can take your US drivers license to a local RTO afer filling out a downloadable form off the web. Submit proof of address. You can get DL the same day.

VWbuggy78 - Wow Excellent posts!! We need folks like you who provide solution in a legitimate way instead of quoting only problems. Please write a step-by-step approach of how to get the following in a separate thread so that it will be very useful for our forum members.

(1) How to get Drivers License in India?
(2) How to get OCI (for USC/UKC) in India?
(3) How to get Ration Card?
(4) How to get Gas Connections?
(5) How to get Utility connections like Telephones, Cellphones, Electric, Water and other essentials?

Well, I suggest your name should be VWFIX78 and not VWbuggy78 as you have a readymade fix/solution for all the bugs we have :emteeth:

Thanks a bunch guys.The information was most useful.

Ok Loveindia,

Will try not tell folks about the problems I personally faced...

Do you want the truth... Now can you handle it... :)

I visited the Arumbakkam Office and it was jam packed...

Spent some 30 mins to get to the enquiry phase and was asked to fill forms...

Looking at the crowd... chose to go with the broker outside...

Paid 100 rs to Broker for services... 200 rs to get Minister's stamp to quicken the process.. and came back after 2 days to get the NOC or stamped form and was informed that I have to go to the Villivakkam office as Ch-40 pin was allocated to that office...

Great... didn't get this point told to me when I went for first enquiry... my neighbours got their Cards longs back and it was from Arumbakkam office then...

had some run arounds.. and once I even went directly to IOC office on Mount Rd near Cenotaph Rd based on the LPG guys advice and couldn't get in...

They had customer service number listed outside and I called the Officer directly from outside his office and he told that they don't provide the service you listed above... How do you argue with that????

Let see if they send the watchman in...


Moral : be ready for surprises and no 2 cases are the same...

Having said that I then chose to get commercial cyclinder for around 800 Rs for a 19kg bottle as a easier solution instead of having to run around...

no subsidies for me :)

OzChennaiguy - I apologize if I had hurt you. What I really meant is we all face several issues/problems and report only the problems everywhere. Some of us find solution but do not post in a forum due to laziness or what do I get attitude in return to what I provide. However, our Mr. Fix has very good solution in a legitimate way (without bribing) and I appreciate his time/effort in helping others. Nothing personal against you.

I want to know if people are using ration card of parents etc. as a means to bypass these problems. Get the gas connection etc. in their name till self ration card is sorted out?? What are the problems with this approach esp. if it can be shown that parents live with self for at least a part of the year.