- White card: One can apply for a white ration card if you are above the poverty line. The white colour means that the person is a citizen of India who is above the poverty line. The state governments maintain a subsidised retail rate for rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene oil for a certain quantity and provide APL families with 10kg to 20kg food grains per family per month at 100% economic cost.
- Blue/Red/Green/Yellow Ration Card: These ration cards are given to those below the poverty line. This ration card helps them in purchasing food items at subsidised rates. BPL (Below poverty line) families receive 10kg to 20kg of food grains per family per month at 50% of the economic cost. The subsidised end retail price for specified quantities of wheat, rice, sugar and other items varies from state to state.
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): Persons without fixed income receive this card. It includes unemployed people, women and old aged people. These cardholders can receive 35kg of food grains per month per family. They receive food grains at the subsidised price of Rs.3 for rice, Rs.2 for wheat and Rs.1 for coarse grains.