J&K to create unique family identification for every household

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to create a unique family identification for every household in the Union territory, in a move to streamline the delivery of public services.

Officials said on Sunday that the initiative will also enhance beneficiary outreach and serve as a unified source of truth for planning and monitoring across government departments.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday to lay the groundwork for creation of the family IDs for every household in Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.

The chief secretary underscored the transformative potential of the family ID system, saying that creation of these IDs will provide invaluable insights into the traction of beneficiary-oriented schemes among the public, while simultaneously ensuring that every eligible citizen receives the benefits rightfully due to them.

"It is a critical step towards fostering a more accountable and responsive administration," Dulloo said.

Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department (PD&MD),Talat Parvez, provided a comprehensive overview of the program.

While delving into background of the initiative, Parvez emphasised the pressing need for such a unified system in J&K, detailing the immense potential benefits for the populace and outlining a robust implementation plan.

Secretary, Information Technology Piyush Singla, elaborated on his department's crucial role in achieving the objectives of this ambitious program.

He highlighted the substantial resources and technical expertise available within the IT Department.

He assured the meeting that the necessary infrastructure is in place to successfully translate this vision into reality across the entire UT.

A key challenge addressed during the discussions was the current practice of multiple government departments repeatedly requiring the same documentation and verification processes from citizens to disburse benefits, the officials said.

"This duplication not only places an undue burden on the public but also strains government resources. The family ID is set to resolve this by becoming a singular, authoritative source of information, thereby significantly reducing the hurdles besides optimising resource allocation," they added.

The existing difficulties citizens face in accessing various government schemes and the administration's challenges in effectively reaching out to the public with relevant programmes were also discussed.

"The family ID initiative is poised to be a definitive solution to this long-standing conundrum, ensuring that services are delivered seamlessly and efficiently to those who need them most," the officials said.

Detailed deliberations were held regarding the primary sources of data for the family IDs, with specific mention of datasets from the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

Future provisions for making necessary alterations, additions, or deletions to the family ID data were also thoroughly discussed, particularly in light of demographic changes arising from birth and death events, as well as migration.