TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The Department of Planning, Statistics and Evaluation (DPSE) is gearing up to link payments of all government schemes to the UID from April this year, in tune with the Central government’s initiative to transfer benefits to individual beneficiaries through electronic Direct Cash Transfer system, based on an Aadhaar Payment Bridge/ Platform.
Being the first State to achieve close to 90 per cent population coverage under Aadhaar, department’s Joint Director Vijay B Saxena said, “This will help root out bogus and fake beneficiaries if any.”
Saxena however clarified that no beneficiary would be deprived payments under any scheme if they have not yet received their cards. Data available with DPSE indicates that around one lakh persons in Goa are yet to receive Aadhaar cards even though the coverage has reached close to 90 per cent.
“By January 31 Goa will be crossing 90 per cent coverage under the ongoing central drive to have a UID for every citizen of India,” said Saxena. He pointed out that the process would be on to cover the rest of the population.
Presently the process for enrolling remaining population for Aadhaar is being undertaken at 70 stations all over Goa. In future, DPSE is proposing to rationalise the number of stations by limiting them at taluka levels from February onwards.
Replying to queries, Saxena agreed that many people have not yet received their cards, though denying problems in the issuing process within Goa. “The process is a very long one and the data goes to a central unit outside Goa and involves verification, printing and postage,” he explained.
There may be cases, he said, where the applications are rejected. “This will be notified to the people through a separate process which will commence after two months,” he said. Likewise those who have not received their cards after prolonged delays, he said, could check the same on the website and reapply.
The department has conducted special drives to get maximum people covered under UID card and would continue to ensure that each and every person is enrolled, Saxena reiterated.
