It refers to news-item about Delhi Chief Minister directing fast disposal of 1.80 lakh pending applications for ration cards at rate of 40000 applications per month. But Delhi should be selected for experimenting ideal one-nation one-card system as announced by Union Finance Minister on 14.05.2020 for complete population of Delhi on a fast track rather than disposing just 1.80 lakh pending applications for ration-cards covering only 8 lakh people of the city out of total population of more than 2 crores. Since ultimately one-nation one-card system is to be adopted, any issue of new ration-cards for pending 1.80 lakh applications will be duplication of work resulting in over-spent of public-resources.
One-nation one-card system if made compulsory, will serve multiple purposes if Aadhar Cards of every family-member are linked to the proposed card linking with a wider nation-wide computerised data-base. Birth and death in the family may be auto-registered in proposed card through recorded births and deaths in hospitals and crematoriums. Provision can be made for downloading duplicate or modified card from website also.
Liquor may also be sold only on proposed nation-wide card. Since many getting rupees 500 monetary-benefit in Jan-Dhan accounts during lockdown were seen in queues of liquor shops, such benefits may not be provided in case anyone in the family purchases liquor through the card. This will lead nation towards much-needed policy of prohibition. Likewise similar other features income of family-members if incorporated in the proposed card may lead to check misused freebies and subsidies by central and state governments like on LPG subsidy. If properly introduced, proposed card can also be effectively used to check tax-evasion by compulsorily registering all luxury-purchases through proposed card.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL