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Biometrics and Voter IDs to Replace Aadhaar for Beneficiary Payments: Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh
Public Lokpal
November 04, 2026
Biometrics and Voter IDs to Replace Aadhaar for Beneficiary Payments: Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh
Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, announced that Aadhaar will no longer serve as the primary verification tool for processing payments to welfare beneficiaries.
Instead, payments under Panchayati Raj schemes will require biometric authentication paired with the beneficiary’s Voter ID or Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number.
Explaining the shift, Singh raised concerns about fraud, noting that unauthorized Aadhaar enrolment centers have proliferated, making fake Aadhaar generation too easy.
The decision aims to curb duplicate records and tighten identity verification across welfare delivery channels.
The move coincides with the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY), a centrally sponsored scheme designed to empower local self-governance and foster self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) panchayats across India.
