Ration card-Aadhaar card link: Poor linkage to affect scheme beneficiaries

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The slow linkage of ration cards with Aadhaar cards in the state may deny benefits of various schemes to the target beneficiaries in lakhs.

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has not yet linked the details of 71.53 per cent ration card beneficiaries with their Aadhaar card details. The Centre set the deadline of March 31, 2022, to complete the ration card-Aadhaar card linkage. On its part, the State Government set the March 25 deadline for the department to complete the ration card-Aadhaar card linkage at the rate of six lakh linkages per day. The department is likely to miss both the deadlines.

The progress of ration card-Aadhaar card linkage in the state is dismal. The department is yet to link ration card and Aadhaar card details of 49.46 per cent ration card beneficiaries in Barpeta, 47.39 per cent in Bongaigaon, 95.26 per cent West Karbi Anglong, 92.57 per cent in Karimganj, 90.47 per cent in Sivasagar etc.

When asked about the delay, an official of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs said, "Hurdles are many. The poor internet networks and servers remaining down in rural areas affect the progress. The e-pos (electronic point of sale) machines given to fair price shops need ration card-Aadhaar linkage. We cannot do it as servers remain down in rural areas most of the time.

"In most of the cases, the spelling of names and titles of the ration card beneficiaries differ from the ones mentioned in their Aadhaar cards. It is a major hurdle in setting the linkage. The spelling errors need correction before setting the linkage between the details of Aadhaar cards and ration cards."

The state has around 60 lakh ration cards comprising 2,50,56,282 beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. Till February-end, the department has linked the details of only 71,33,198 ration card beneficiaries with their Aadhaar card details. Thus, the department is yet to link details of 1,79,23,084 ration card beneficiaries with their Aadhaar card details.

Also Read:  Linking ration card with Aadhaar: Around 1 lakh ineligible beneficiaries weeded out

Also Watch: