Maha Cabinet okays plan to issue Aadhar-linked ration cards
4 March 2015 12:32 AM GMT
Under this Rs 173.72 crore-worth two-phased programme, Aadhar-linked ration cards will be distributed and all PDS outlets across the state will be connected with a mobile terminal technology-enabled biometric network.
"We keep receiving complaints about irregularities and malpractices in PDS outlets and even fake or duplicate ration cards are being used by ineligible people to avail undue benefits of the state government under various schemes," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters here.
"To put an end to all these malpractices and bring in transparency in the system, we have decided to make the entire PDS computerised. Through this, the government will be able to gauge the exact number of beneficiaries of various schemes of the state and weed out the fake beneficiaries so that genuine persons get the benefit," he added.
With the commencement of this initiative, Maharashtra will be the third state in the country, after Punjab and Gujarat, where the Centre-initiated scheme of Aadhar-linked ration cards is being implemented to strictly monitor the benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013. In the first phase, all the 2.32 crore ration card holders in the state will get new ration cards, bearing the Aadhar card, bank account and mobile numbers in a bar code, photograph of the senior-most woman in the household and the Aadhar details of other family members.
Maha to have whistleblower protection law
Maharashtra govt on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that it would soon come out with a law to provide protection to whistleblowers and witnesses in sensitive cases. The court had last October asked it to frame a fresh policy on the issue. The division bench headed by Justice A S Oka was on Tuesday informed that the government was likely to come out with a law instead of a mere policy.
"We keep receiving complaints about irregularities and malpractices in PDS outlets and even fake or duplicate ration cards are being used by ineligible people to avail undue benefits of the state government under various schemes," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters here.
"To put an end to all these malpractices and bring in transparency in the system, we have decided to make the entire PDS computerised. Through this, the government will be able to gauge the exact number of beneficiaries of various schemes of the state and weed out the fake beneficiaries so that genuine persons get the benefit," he added.
With the commencement of this initiative, Maharashtra will be the third state in the country, after Punjab and Gujarat, where the Centre-initiated scheme of Aadhar-linked ration cards is being implemented to strictly monitor the benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013. In the first phase, all the 2.32 crore ration card holders in the state will get new ration cards, bearing the Aadhar card, bank account and mobile numbers in a bar code, photograph of the senior-most woman in the household and the Aadhar details of other family members.
Maha to have whistleblower protection law
Maharashtra govt on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that it would soon come out with a law to provide protection to whistleblowers and witnesses in sensitive cases. The court had last October asked it to frame a fresh policy on the issue. The division bench headed by Justice A S Oka was on Tuesday informed that the government was likely to come out with a law instead of a mere policy.
Next Story
