EPIC numbers to be used for beneficiary identification

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><b>GANGTOK,:</b> Beneficiaries under a new Panchayati Raj scheme will be identified through their voter ID numbers and biometric authentication, with Aadhaar set to lose its role as the primary identification document for processing payments, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a programme at the Sikkim Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited in Gangtok on Tuesday, the Union Minister said the proposed mechanism would replace the existing Aadhaar-based identification system.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">“Aadhaar is currently the basis for payments to beneficiaries, but it will no longer be considered the primary means of identification,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Under the proposed arrangement, beneficiaries would be required to provide their Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers along with biometric authentication to establish their identity and access government benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">“Going forward, the Aadhaar card will no longer serve as the basis for identifying beneficiaries. Instead, beneficiaries will need to provide biometric authentication along with their EPIC (Voter ID Number). These will serve as their identification credentials, and payments will be made based on that information,” Singh said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">The Union Minister said technology-based verification would help streamline the process and minimise instances of duplicate or fraudulent beneficiary entries, ensuring that welfare assistance reached the intended recipients.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">He also referred to the accessibility of Aadhaar enrolment and issuing facilities across localities and highlighted the role of biometric authentication in verifying identities. He said Aadhaar-based biometric authentication could be completed within five minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:&quot;Garamond&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">The proposed mechanism, he said, was aimed at strengthening verification and improving transparency and accountability to the delivery of government benefits.<br> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>

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