Getting the benefits of Navaratnalu, the welfare schemes being implemented by the YSR Congress Party government in the State, has become a challenge for some following introduction of a pre-condition by the government for transfer of money directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries.
Till some time ago, many farmers, aged persons drawing pension and other beneficiaries had been getting money directly into their bank accounts linked to welfare schemes. But recently, the government, as per the Reserve Bank of India guidelines, has asked all of them to link their bank accounts to their Aadhaar numbers, and that has become a challenge for some.
In some cases, the phone numbers are linked to the bank accounts like the Jan Dhan accounts, but the Aadhaar is not linked. The welfare assistants at the secretariats are sending the beneficiaries to bank branches to get their operative account linked to Aadhaar.
In Anantapur city, some persons are forced to wait for 10 days after booking their slot for linking Aadhaar through the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) portal. In Reddipalli Panchayat in Bukkarayasamudram, out of close to 3,000 beneficiaries, the bank accounts of 800 under various schemes are yet to be linked and the process is on.
Similarly, at Ramnagar in the city, out of 1,300 beneficiaries of welfare schemes close to 300 cases are stuck in either the municipal or revenue offices for a couple of months for Kapu Nestam, Cheyutha and other pensions and benefits. “The beneficiaries need to bring their Aadhaar copies and bank account passbook copies for the process to begin,” explain the staff there. The introduction of new ineligibility criteria like consumption of 300 units of power, or someone owning a four-wheeler or a family member being an income tax payer has resulted in stopping of payment to some beneficiaries in case of certain schemes. The affected people are approaching the secretariat staff with various queries.
At the Canara Bank as also other PSU and private banks, the Aadhaar-linking counters are overcrowded as the money transfer for the schemes like Cheyutha, Jagananna Vasathi and Vidya Deevena is currently going on. Very soon, Rythu Bharosa and Amma Vodi scheme amounts too would be deposited into the beneficiary accounts.
For Rythu Bharosa and Vidya Deevena, in addition to the bank branches, the State government had got permission/licence for some Ward Secretariats and MeeSeva Centres to operate the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) portal for linking of bank accounts with Aadhaar numbers by giving training to the operators there. “There are 4,000 new applicants for the Rythu Bharosa in the undivided Anantapur and they are all eager to complete their Aadhaar linking,” says Joint Director, Agriculture, D. Chandra Naik.
