6 days ago
Ration card issuance causes distress due to Aadhaar, electricity data errors in Andhra Pradesh
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Vijayawada: While the long-awaited process of issuing new ration cards in Andhra Pradesh has resumed, the process seems to have became a major source of distress for many applicants, as a series of technical and administrative errors, particularly in Aadhaar seeding and electricity consumption mapping, have rendered thousands of genuine applicants ineligible.
Ration cards are now crucial for accessing various welfare schemes, including old-age pensions, disability pensions, and financial assistance for mothers. The issuance of ration cards is based on data such as Aadhaar linkage, electricity usage, and vehicle ownership. Unfortunately, many citizens are being denied ration cards due to errors not of their making.
A key issue lies in Aadhaar-linked electricity data.
Applicants consuming over 300 units of electricity per month — calculated on an annual average — are marked ineligible. But many discovered that their Aadhaar numbers are incorrectly seeded to others' high-consumption electricity connections.
"We live in a small house and consume less than 200 units of electricity. Still, my husband's Aadhaar is somehow linked to another person's electricity connection. We were asked to rectify it and placed an application with the electricity department," said L Vijaya, a ration card applicant from the city.
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Family data errors in Aadhaar are also proving problematic. The cards of married women whose Aadhaar cards are still linked to their parents' addresses are being rejected during verification. "Despite repeated requests, the local secretariat hasn't updated my address. Now they insist I must submit a marriage certificate," K Sravani, who moved to Vijayawada after marriage, rued. This has led to long queues at Aadhaar and electricity department offices, as frustrated applicants scramble to fix errors and reapply.
Civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar stated that the ration card issuance is an ongoing process with no fixed deadline. "There is room to correct Aadhaar or electricity mapping errors. Applicants can resolve these issues and submit fresh applications," he assured, urging patience and cooperation.
