NEW DELHI: The government has started using the database generated under the
One Nation One Ration Card
(ONORC) scheme for 80 crore beneficiaries for other welfare programmes such as
Ayushman Bharat
, PM-KISAN and
E-Shram
among others, Union food secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said on Wednesday.
Talking to reporters, he said, “The NFSA database can act as a central database for identification of beneficiaries who don’t have Ayushman Bharat cards by the
National Health Authority
(NHA) or e-shram cards of the labour ministry which will save them from fresh data collection or survey of eligible beneficiaries.” Sources said the proof of concept has been carried out by the NHA and it was found to be successful.
Pandey said people who have got ration cards are recorded in the system and it becomes the base data because all ration cards have been
Aadhaar
seeded. He added the NHA can use the database and carry out ground verification. “If one doesn’t have the
Ayushman Bharat card
, then they can issue it. So, it obviates the need for a separate survey and separate database. There have been encouraging results..It is a rich database to conceptualise schemes and modify them,” the secretary said.
“When we give data, it’s not meant for plug and play. They need to see their requirements and then use our data for their needs,” said another official.
