UP Government's Family ID Cards To Help Beneficiaries From Ration To Employment

The Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath is set to issue Family ID Cards in the next two to three weeks. The aim of this card is to map beneficiaries of various schemes across the state.

According to Times of India, identifying pension beneficiaries who are not getting the benefit of free ration under the National Food Security Act will be one of the first tasks that this 12-digit ID card will accomplish.

Planning department secretary Alok Kumar told TOI that the findings will be shared with the social welfare department and food and civil supplies department. Genuine beneficiaries without a ration card will be issued one and the fake beneficiaries will be weeded out.

The state already has a ration card coverage of more than 60 per cent. Family ID will be issued on the basis of ration card details and for those who do not have it, a portal will be launched by next month, on which one can apply for a family ID.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was shown a presentation last month regarding the layout of the scheme. The UP government also studied ongoing schemes in other states like Haryana's family ID cards and Karnataka's Kutumb card before initiating the project.

A pilot project was conducted in Prayagraj and the beneficiaries were mapped on the basis of ration card details. This scheme will also ensure that a single family doesn't become a beneficiary more than once in the name of its different family members.

The scheme was promised by Adityanath before the assembly elections, held earlier this year. It was aimed to distribute employment across the state. The card will track the employment/unemployment status of the family members.

Families without a single member employed will be prioritised while giving the jobs. With the available data, a new scheme to eradicate unemployment can also be devised. The focus will be to make youths 'job-giver' rather than 'job-seeker' by making credit available to them.

This card will also save people from excessive documentation. For example, if a family member has secured a caste or income certificate, another family member can easily get it as his name will be connected to the other family member through this card.