Expedite Aadhaar seeding, says state

Kolkata: The state government has directed district authorities to ensure maximum cases of Aadhaar seeding and mobile phone number linking with ration cards is done before Chhath Puja. According to sources, Aadhaar seeding and mobile phone number linking of 66 to 70 percent ration cardholders have been completed.

In a virtual meeting headed by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi with all the District Magistrates and other senior officers on Monday, the directions have been given to complete the same for the remaining number. This comes when the Bengal government has taken a series of steps to ensure that not a single beneficiary gets deprived of ration. Moreover, it comes when Duare Ration programme is going to start soon all across the state.

According to a senior officer, the state administration has appealed to people to ensure that their ration cards get linked with Aadhaar cards and their respective mobile phone numbers. It may be done by visiting any of the ration shops, Bangla Sahayata Kendras and office of the food inspectors. Even a resident of Kalyani in Nadia can get it done from any of these points at Ghusuri in Howrah. Soon, the state government will also launch a system in which a ration cardholder can collect his or her ration from a local fair price shop where he or she is staying temporarily. "Let us consider that an original resident of Murshidabad is now staying at Barasat in North 24-Parganas. The person can collect his or her ration from the nearby shop at Barasat. It will be introduced in the next few months. Aadhaar seeding and mobile number linking is essential to avail the facility," said a senior state government officer. The state administration has also requested common people to ensure EPoS transactions at the time of ration collection.