HYDERABAD: The State government has made Aadhaar card mandatory for availing subsidised rice. The Aadhaar was made mandatory under Section 7 of Aadhaar Act, 2016. The Civil Supplies Department issued orders to this effect on Wednesday.
“The use of Aadhaar as an identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly in a convenient and seamless manner by obviating the need to produce multiple documents to prove one’s identity,” the orders said. The State government spends `2,286.90 crore every year for providing subsidised rice, sugar, wheat, kerosene and others through public distribution system to 2.79 crore beneficiaries.
The Civil Supplies Department has so far been distributing essential commodities at subsidised prices to BPL families using biometric/IRIS authentication of the beneficiaries which is being implemented through the ePoS machines.
Providing subsidised rice is a recurring expenditure for the State government. Once Aadhaar is linked to the scheme, wastage would be avoided. The orders were also published in the State Gazette. In addition to Aadhaar, the Civil Supplies Department also follow the Central government’s DBT mission guidelines.