HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed officials to designate women as head of the family in the soon-to-be-issued family digital cards (FDC), the Congress government's initiative aimed at consolidating access to essential services like ration, healthcare and welfare schemes.
The government will pilot the project in two locations in every Assembly constituency, including rural and urban areas. Officials will begin a field study on October 3, conducting a door-to-door survey in the selected areas to gather family details for the issuance of the cards.
The Chief Minister chaired a review meeting at the Secretariat on Saturday to discuss the design and implementation of the card.
Officials presented findings from a study conducted in Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra between October 25 and 27, where similar digital cards have been introduced. They discussed the benefits, challenges, and potential improvements based on the experiences of these states.
Revanth Reddy directed officials to streamline the identification of family units using data already available through existing ration cards, Rajiv Aarogyasri health scheme, agriculture, and other welfare databases. He stressed that unnecessary information, such as bank account and PAN card details, should not be collected.
The Chief Minister also formed a Cabinet sub-committee, consisting of ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, P. Srinivas Reddy and Damodara Rajanarsimha, to review the information collected. This committee will provide recommendations on items to be included or excluded in the digital cards. The comprehensive family information will then be updated based on their inputs.
To oversee the pilot project, the Chief Minister ordered the appointment of revenue divisional officer (RDO)-rank officers in rural segments and municipal zonal commissioner rank officials in urban segments.
Senior officials who were involved in flood monitoring during recent heavy rains will serve as supervisors for the project to ensure accuracy in the field inspections.
