AP Civil Supplies Commissioner clarifies on E- KYC registration, says ration cards will not be cancelled

The Civil Supplies Commissioner Kona Shashidhar clarified that there was no need to worry about the electronic consumer ration card integration (e-KYC) with the Aadhaar card. He told that there was no need to go to Aadhaar centers to link the names on the rice cards and that it would be sufficient to contact nearby volunteers and VROs. More than 80 percent of problems are solved by volunteers and VROs. He said cards will not be cancelled and rice can be taken from the day of connection with the Aadhaar. It was clarified that there was no intention to evade rice to any beneficiary and beneficiaries are advised to go to Aadhaar centers only after consultation with Village volunteers and VROs.

Kona Shashidhar asked the district joint collectors to take steps to ensure that people do not gather at Aadhaar centers. He explained that the Central Government had directed the E-KYC to register with all the ration beneficiaries in the state and accordingly the notices were issued by the Revenue Department. "Up to 4.31 crore people are benefiting from about 1.48 crore rice cards in the state. Eighty-five percent of them are E-KYC and another 35 lakh people are yet to register," he said.

He said that the Children under the age of five have exception from linking Aadhaar with ration card and for those above age five are advised to link the Aadhaar by September and adults by the end of August, 'said Shashidhar. "Only those whose names are on the ration cards need to be linked to the Aadhaar and those who do not have fingerprints do not have to go to Aadhaar centers and can put their fingerprints on the e-pass machines at the nearest ration shops or MPDO offices.