Agra: Over 3.5 lakh people in Agra will lose the benefits they so far have been getting under the public distribution scheme (PDS) as their Aadhaar details have not been linked to their ration cards till October 25 deadline. About 7 lakh families in 15 blocks of the district have ration cards. The total number of PDS beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the district is around 29 lakh.

Civil supplies department officials say that the last date to link Aadhaar details with the ration card was October 25. "Even after a month, the department has not received Aadhaar details of around 3.5 lakh people in Agra district. All these people will not be benefitted under the PDS scheme after December 20. Soon their names will be removed from the list of eligible beneficiaries," says an official.

In 2017, the state government had ordered linking of all ration cards with Aadhaar. Initially, Aadhaar of only head of the family was required to be linked with ration card. Later, it was also made mandatory to link Aadhaar details of each beneficiary of the family.

“We have not received required Aadhaar details of 3.5 lakh beneficiaries even a month after the deadline ended. They will get benefit under the PDS scheme after December 20. We have planned to run a two-week awareness campaign in the rural areas for linking of Aadhaar card,” said Agra district supply officer (DSO) Umesh Kumar Mishra.

“In some cases, Aadhaar has mentioned wrong name or address of beneficiaries. Such people have been asked to get required correction done. Soon, names of all the ineligible beneficiaries will be cancelled. A list is being prepared in this regard,” he added.

According to department officials, the linking of Aadhaar with ration card is mainly aimed at curbing corruption in PDS and weeding out fake beneficiaries. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), each eligible person mentioned on the ration card gets wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg up to a maximum quantity of 3.5 kg and 1.5 kg respectively.

