To improve PDS,
Maharashtra government mulls
ration card, Aadhaar link-up
ration card, Aadhaar link-up
MUMBAI: The
Maharashtra government is mulling a proposal to link ration cards with Aadhaar
numbers so as to enhance the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the state.
The move is being
planned with a view to ensuring that the benefits provided by the government
reach the beneficiaries and the process remains transparent.
"The Narendra
Modi government at the Centre has been very enthusiastic about the food
security scheme. In keeping with that, the state government, too, has shown its
keenness in continuing with the scheme in Maharashtra minus the loopholes in the
PDS," Deepak Kapoor, Food and Civil Supplies Secretary told PTI.
The senior officer
said that the state Cabinet has asked the administration to be ready with a
presentation on the food security scheme, initiated by the previous UPA
government the Centre, following which a final decision to link the two will be
taken.
"We will be dividing our presentation into three parts. First, we have to present the current scenario to the government, which would help them gauge the situation on ground. We will also be presenting a financial picture which would help assess the cost structure.
"We will be dividing our presentation into three parts. First, we have to present the current scenario to the government, which would help them gauge the situation on ground. We will also be presenting a financial picture which would help assess the cost structure.
"We will finally
be putting in our suggestions, after considering which, the Cabinet will take a
final call," he said.
"It is here that
we will suggest to the government to link ration cards with Aadhaar numbers so
that the right beneficiary gets benefits and the role of middlemen can be
contained," Kapoor said.
At present, the number
of people below poverty line ( BPL) in Maharashtra is around 7 crore, while 1.8
crore are registered as Above Poverty Line (APL) beneficiaries.
A total of 2.32 crore
ration cards are already digitised with the state administration. The Director
of the Information and Technology department, Virendra Singh, said that
the administration is ready to link Aadhaar numbers of ration cardholders at
any given point of time.
"About 9.3 crore
people have so far enrolled for Aadhaar cards with 8.6 crore cards having been
already generated. We would like to ensure that more than 95 per cent of the
people have Aadhaar cards before March, 2015," said Singh.
He added that upon
receiving Cabinet approval, a pilot scheme would be launched in two districts,
one of them being Wardha. If the response is satisfactory, it would be extended
to other districts as well.
"Wardha is 100
per cent Aadhaar enrolled. We will take a final decision on the other district
soon," he said.
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