Rajya Sabha Q&A – Linking of ration card with Aadhaar

Rajya Sabha Q&A – Linking of ration card with Aadhaar

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-865

ANSWERED ON-09.02.2018

Linking of ration card with Aadhaar

865 . Shri B.K. Hariprasad

(a) whether Government has taken any steps to ensure that no individual is denied PDS benefits even if he/she does not have Aadhaar or has not linked his ration card to the number; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (b): Yes, Sir. The Department of Food and Public Distribution has issued clear instructions to all States/UT Governments that no beneficiary/household shall be deleted from the list of eligible beneficiaries/households only on the ground of not possessing Aadhaar, and shall also not be denied subsidized foodgrains or cash transfer of food subsidy under NFSA due to non-availability of Aadhaar or failure of biometric authentication due to network/ connectivity/ linking issues/ poor biometric of the beneficiary or other technical reasons. The State/UT Governments are required to comply with the provisions of the notification issued by this Department vide SO No. 371[E] dated 8/2/17 [as amended from time to time], for granting PDS benefits to those beneficiaries who do not possess Aadhaar.

Source : Rajya Sabha