VIJAYAWADA: In a transformative step to ensure every family in Andhra Pradesh benefits from welfare schemes, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced the introduction of a Family Card system.
During a review meeting of the Family Benefit Monitoring System at the State Secretariat on Thursday, the Chief Minister directed officials to establish a robust and field-level information system to identify eligible households, and deliver welfare benefits transparently.
Naidu emphasised that the Family Card will assign a unique score to each household, reflecting its socio-economic needs, and the government benefits it receives.
“Every family should have a Family Card that records the welfare schemes they access, ensuring transparency and accountability. Like an Aadhaar card, it will help families meet their daily needs while promoting economic stability. The card will serve as a comprehensive tool to track benefits, and ensure that all eligible families are covered under the development programmes,” he explained.
Naidu stressed the importance of accurate data collection to support this initiative. “We need complete, interconnected data from every department to deliver better services. Precise field-level information will help us make informed decisions for the economic uplift of marginalised communities,” he said.
State to have Population Policy soon, says Naidu
The Chief Minister highlighted the need to identify economically and socially backward groups, including Backward Classes (BCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Other Castes (OCs) to address their specific needs effectively.
He expressed concern over families splitting to access welfare schemes, announcing that the government will soon introduce a Population Policy to encourage joint families.
“Our culture values togetherness, but some families are dividing for welfare benefits. We will redesign welfare schemes if needed to ensure families stay united while receiving the government support,” Naidu said.
He emphasised that people are the State’s greatest asset, and a strong family system is essential for Andhra Pradesh’s economic development. Naidu instructed officials to integrate departmental data to create a comprehensive database, enabling the government to address economic disparities and deliver welfare efficiently. “Social re-engineering is a priority. We must uplift marginalised communities through effective governance, and accurate data,” he stressed.
The meeting, attended by Chief Secretary K Vijayanand and senior officials, marked the beginning of efforts to implement the Family Card System, and develop the Population Policy.