All family members' Aadhaar to be linked with ration cards for PDS: UP govt

Now, Aadhaar numbers of all members of a family and not just the head of a household will be linked

The Aadhaar numbers of all members of a family, not just the head of a household, will be linked with their ration card to ensure an unhindered supply of goods under the public distribution system (PDS), the Uttar Pradesh government informed the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday.

The state government placed a copy of a circular, issued to the effect on July 17, before a division bench comprising Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice M K Gupta which was hearing a PIL filed by seven members of the Nagar Palika Parishad of Kandhla in the Shamli district.

The petitioners had moved the court contending that Aadhaar enabled PDS was introduced in the state last year wherein ration was to be distributed after scanning the thumb impression of the head of the household.

The petitioners had further contended that in many cases the head of the household happened to be an elderly person, physically incapable of visiting a PDS shop, and such a system deprived the concerned family of the benefits which was in violation of the Food Security Act.

The state government had, on July 11, sought time for taking "appropriate action in the matter".

It placed the circular, issued by principal secretary, civil supplies, to all district magistrates, before the court on Tuesday.

Expressing satisfaction with the move, the court disposed off the petition.