Civil society group demands delinking welfare scheme benefits from electoral rolls

According to a report by The Hindu, a civil society organisation, 'Citizens for Fraternity Forum' (CFF-India), has written to Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh demanding that having a name in the electoral roll or possessing a Voter ID (EPIC) should not be made mandatory to avail benefits of government welfare schemes. The organisation has sought clarification on whether the government is indeed planning to use voter cards instead of Aadhaar for identifying beneficiaries. The letter was written on 12 November and was signed by prominent individuals including former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Zameeruddin Shah, and former diplomat Ashok Kumar Sharma.

The organisation stated that while they welcome the government's efforts to bring transparency and accountability, linking welfare benefits to electoral rolls could cause difficulties for the poor and marginalised sections of society. The letter emphasised that no eligible citizen should be deprived of benefits simply because they do not have a voter card, their name is not on the electoral roll, or biometric authentication has failed. The organisation has sought a public assurance from the government that the status of the electoral roll will not become a condition for receiving welfare benefits.

Furthermore, the organisation suggested that welfare entitlements should always remain linked to the prescribed eligibility criteria of the respective schemes. It stated that alternative and accessible modes of identification should be made available, especially for the elderly, women, persons with disabilities, migrants, and other vulnerable groups. It has also demanded that an effective grievance redressal mechanism be established to ensure that no beneficiary is left out.

Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, had previously commented that an EPIC number and mandatory biometric authentication would now be required to receive financial benefits under the ministry's schemes. It was following this statement that the organisation wrote this letter to express its concerns.

Citizens for Fraternity Forum is a civil society organisation working for social justice, constitutional values, and the protection of civil rights in the country. The organisation has been active in drawing the government's attention to various social issues in the past and represents the interests of citizens in policy matters.