Rajasthan Makes Ration Distribution Go Biometric, Creates Umbrella Card

Jaipur: Rajasthan is taking a step towards moving almost all social security schemes onto a biometric and online transfer system. From September 1, the delivery of rations under the Public Distribution System will go online.

Under this, the beneficiaries will have to go to the ration dealer and get their rations after biometric finger print test.

The moving of social security schemes online is being done through an umbrella card called "Bhamashah", which uses the Aadhar database to transfer pensions, wheat under the Food Security Act, scholarships and even MNERGA wages directly to the poor, cutting out the middlemen.

The government is organising Bhamashah camps in every tehsil headquarters through the month of August, where the people are also providing feedback and highlighting problems.

Of the 6 crore-plus population in the state eligible for social security schemes, nearly 4.5 crore have already been linked to Bhamashah. "This is a face of Digital India of which Rajasthan is a part. If there are any drawbacks, we are working towards overcoming those," said a government spokesperson.  

For identification purposes, the Bhamashah card uses photographs of the beneficiary and finger prints. But this creates certain problems.

At a camp in Amer, just outside Jaipur, 55-year-old Mangali showed her ration card. She said she hasn't been receiving her rations since June. "I have not been getting pension either," she told an official. The machine, apparently, was not reading her finger prints.

The official said aging people like Mangli, who have done hard manual labour, are facing this problem. Their finger pads are becoming smoother with age, making it difficult to discern finger prints.