Aadhar to be linked to jobs, housing, pension schemes

In a move that is expected to increase subscribers for Aadhar scheme, the department of e-governance has proposed to integrate five welfare schemes with Aadhar numbers.

The government has chosen to integrate services connected to employment, housing and pension schemes, hoping this will increase Aadhar’s ‘mass appeal’.

The pilot project will include the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MNREGS) and the Rajiv Gandhi Awaz Yojana,  the Ashraya housing scheme, Bhagyalakshmi and the social security and pension scheme.

The schemes, linked with Aadhar will be implemented in Tumkur and Mysore districts, on a pilot basis from January 1.

Officials from the e-governance department said choosing the districts was easy because of the success in enrolments during the first phase of the government’s unique identification (UID) project, under which the Aadhar cards were issued.

“The districts of Tumkur and Mysore covered up to 95 per cent of the population under the first phase. In fact, these districts were the first ones to receive the Aadhar coverage,” said an official.

Mysore has tied-up with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to supply LPG to citizens, assuring ‘guaranteed’ subscription to Aadhar, said the official.

According to the official, the schemes have been finalised and ready to roll out by 2013. “Once the success of these schemes are ascertained in these two districts, then it will be extended to all the 30 districts (in Karnataka),” he said.

Despite wide protests against UID, the official believes its second phase will generate interest when it starts enrolments from October 20.

“Had it not been for large-scale protests, the UID project would have covered at least 85 percent of the population across the State,” he said.