Aadhaar is mandatory for receiving subsidised foodgrains from PDS shops

Aadhaar is mandatory for receiving subsidised foodgrains from PDS shops

New Delhi: The government on Thursday made the Aadhaar card compulsory for all those receiving subsidised foodgrains from public distribution system (PDS) shops.

However, for those without Aadhaar card, the government has given them time till June 30 to get it in order to avail the subsidised foodgrains under the food law.

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Centre makes Aadhaar card mandatory for receiving subsidised foodgrains from PDS shops

In a significant step to reform the Public Distribution System (PDS), the government has made Aadhar card mandatory for receiving subsidised foodgrains from all PDS shops. The government has allotted time till June 30 for those not having Aadhar card to get it for availing subsidised foodgrain under the Food Law. Last week, the government said that it plans to make Aadhaar card essential, although not mandatory, for subsidised foodgrain under the National Food Security Act and had asked states to link them with ration cards at the earliest.

In a run to boost the cashless economy, the government also said that states have promised to install digital payment system at ration shops by June. As per the food law, more than 80 crore people get 5 kg wheat or rice per person per month at Rs. 2-3 per kg costing exchequer Rs. 1.4 lakh crore annually.

Commenting upon promoting digital transactions and less cash economy post demonetisation, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan recently held a national conference of state food ministers and secretaries on ‘PDS Reforms and Cashless/Less-Cash Environment.’ “At present, nearly 29,000 fair price shops have the cashless facility out of 5.27 lakh ration shops. 

Currently state including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Maharashtra have committed to boost digital transaction systems in their ration shops by March, Paswan said. “Most of the states will have digital payment system by June,” he said, adding that Bihar and Uttarakhand have promised to install cashless system by July while Andaman & Nicobar and J&K by the end of 2016.

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Currently as many as 72 per cent of ration cards have been linked with Aadhaar Cards. There are 23 crore ration card holders in the country, of which about 16.62 crore have linked their Aadhar cards so far.

Source; ZN