Aadhaar mandatory for availing subsidised foodgrains from
PDS
After cooking gas LPG, the
government on Thursday made Aadhaar mandatory for availing subsidised
foodgrains from the ration shops with a view to better target ₹1.4 lakh crore
subsidy under the food security law. The government has given time to those not
having the biometric-based unique identification number to apply for Aadhaar by
June 30. The government issued a notification to this effect, but did stop
short of saying that subsidised foodgrains will not be sold to anyone not
having Aadhaar after June 30.
Under the National Food Security
Law (NFSA), which has been completely rolled out across the country in November
last year, the government provides 5 kg of foodgrains per person every month at
₹1-3/kg to over 80 crore people. “...the Department of Food and Consumer
Affairs has issued a Notification under Aadhaar Act on February 8 which
requires individual beneficiaries having ration cards under NFSA to furnish
proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication to
receive subsidies under NFSA (i.e. subsidised food grains or cash Transfer of
Food Subsidy under NFSA),” an official statement said.
Notification apllicable to all
new beneficiaries
The notification would come into
effect from February 8 in all States and Union Territories (UTs) except Assam,
Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir. This will also be applicable to all the new
beneficiaries. “Beneficiaries under NFSA who do not possess the Aadhaar number
or are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, but are desirous of availing subsidies
under NFSA are required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment by June 30,
2017 and may visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre to get enrolled for Aadhaar,”
the statement said. The notification has been issued since subsidised
foodgrains under PDS and cash transfer of food subsidy under NFSA involves
recurring expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India, it added.
Till Aadhaar is assigned to the
beneficiaries, the government said foodgrains would be provided on production
of ration card and either Aadhaar enrolment ID slip or copy of his/her request
made to State government for Aadhaar enrolment along with any of the 8
documents — Voter ID Card, PAN, Passport, Driving License, Certificate of
Identity with photo issued by Gazetted Officer/ Tehsildar on official letter
head, address card having name and photo issued by Department of Posts, Kisan
Photo Passbook and any other document as specified by State/UT Governments.
The beneficiaries can make
request for Aadhaar enrolment by giving their name, address, mobile number with
ration card number and other details with their fair price shop owners or
through the web portal provided for the purpose by State/UT governments.
Digitisation to curb
corruption
A senior Food Ministry official
said a notification has been issued as the States were slow in linking Aadhaar
card with ration cards despite giving several extension to expedite the
process. The official said digitisation is essential to curb leakages and
corruption in PDS and better targeting of food subsidy.
So far, 72% of ration cards have
been seeded with Aadhaar Cards. There are 23 crore ration cards, of which about
16.62 crore have been linked, while there are 5.27 lakh ration shops across the
country.
The Centre has asked the States
to link Aadhaar number of beneficiary with the ration card or with bank account
for cash transfer of food subsidy within thirty days after receiving the same,
the statement said. Govt provides direct cash
transfer of food subsidy to the beneficiaries in Chandigarh, Puducherry and
Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
A provision has been made that
any member of eligible household listed in the ration card would be entitled to
get the entire quota of subsidised foodgrains or cash transfer of food subsidy,
if any one member of the household in the ration card fulfils the
identification conditions in case Aadhaar is not yet assigned to all such
members of the household.
Simplifies delivery process
The government said that the use
of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services or benefits or
subsidies simplifies the delivery processes, brings in transparency and
efficiency and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly in a
convenient and seamless manner.
That apart, it said that Aadhaar
obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one’s identity. “Aadhaar
Act, inter alia, provides that the Central/State government while making
expenditure from Consolidated fund of India for any subsidy, may require such
individual to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo authentication,”
the statement said.
The Food Department of all the
States and UTs should make wide publicity through media and individual notices
through the district food supply office or fair price shops etc. to make the
beneficiaries aware of the requirement of Aadhaar under the scheme.
The States have been asked to
advise beneficiaries to get themselves enrolled at the nearest enrolment
centres available in their areas by June and a list of locally available
enrolment centres should be made available to them. States have been told to
offer enrolment facilities for the beneficiaries.
In case there is no Aadhaar
enrolment centre located in the respective block or taluka or tehsil, States
are required to provide enrolment facilities at convenient locations in
coordination with the UIDAI or the existing Registrars of UIDAI or by becoming
UIDAI registrar themselves.
In the Budget for 2017-18, the
government has earmarked ₹1,45,338.60 crore for food subsidy in the next fiscal
against ₹1,35,172.96 crore in the revised estimate of this fiscal.
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें