Aadhaar and public distribution system to be linked across Maharashtra

The move comes after the pilot project of Aadhaar-enabled Public Distribution System helped the state government save 4,500 metric tonnes of foodgrain in its first month of implementation in Nagpur

After the pilot project of Aadhaar-enabled Public Distribution System (PDS) helped the state government save 4500 metric tonnes of foodgrain in it first month of implementation in Nagpur, the state is now planning to link the ration system with the Aadhaar system across the state’s 52,000 ration shops by March end.

The government has estimated that the move will help save Rs800 crore by plugging leakages and corruption (HT file photo)

The government has estimated that the move will help save Rs800 crores by plugging leakages and corruption.

In Nagpur, the project enabled the city to save Rs14 crore as beneficiaries falsely registered under the BPL (below poverty line) category did not turn up to claim the foodgrain.

While Nagpur city has 2.94 lakh ration card holders eligible for foodgrains under Food Security Act, as many as 65,000 cards holders did not turn up to claim the benefit.

This was reportedly to avoid the disclosure of their actual income due, as their identities were reportedly authenticated during the Aadhaar seeding process.

Prashant Kale, district supply officer, said, “The ration card holders that fail to claim the benefits within three months will be made to fill the ‘Give it Up’ form and will be shifted out of the food security category.”

Of the 1.62 crore ration card holders in Maharashtra, about 10 lakh did not register during the Aadhaar seeding drive over the last few months. “We expect to weed out more such fake beneficiaries and save Rs800 crore a year,” said an official from the department.