Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said that beneficiary identification for certain government payments will move away from Aadhaar verification to biometric authentication and EPIC numbers.
Speaking at the National Workshop on People’s Plan Campaign 2026-27 organised by Ministry of Panchayati Raj in New Delhi on October 30, he said Aadhaar will not be used as a basis for identifying beneficiaries henceforth. Biometric details and voter ID numbers would be used to establish their identity and make payments.
The announcement has already caught people’s attention as to a possible change in the way government welfare benefits are identified; but the minister didn’t say which schemes would use the proposed system or when it would be introduced.
What Did Rajiv Ranjan Singh Say About Aadhaar?
While speaking at the workshop Singh questioned whether Aadhaar is a reliable ID proof for beneficiary payments.
Aadhaar enrolment and issuing facilities have become widespread now so people can get the document quickly, he said.
The minister then said biometric authentication and the beneficiary’s EPIC number would be the basis of identification and payments respectively.
The EPIC number is the unique identification number printed on an Electors Photo Identity Card issued by Election Commission of India.
Under this approach beneficiaries would have to provide biometric details and voter ID number to prove their identity.
Singh did not specify whether the system would use fingerprint authentication, iris scanning or another biometric verification method.
How Would the Proposed System Work?
The arrangement proposed would combine two forms of identification:
1. Biometric authentication
The beneficiaries would have to undergo biometric verification to prove that they are entitled to the government benefit.
2. Voter ID or EPIC number
The EPIC number would be an additional identification reference for verifying beneficiaries.
The combination is meant to help authorities identify eligible recipients and eliminate duplicate or fraudulent beneficiary records.
However, the technical aspects of the proposed system (e.g. how biometric information would be collected stored verified) have not yet been publicly explained.
Which Government Schemes Could Be Affected?
The announcement was made during a discussion on the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY), a centrally sponsored programme for strengthening Gram Panchayats and local development planning.
The scheme replaces the Rashtriya Gram Swarajya Abhiyan and aims to support more integrated planning and development at the village level.
However, it is not clear whether the voter ID based identification mechanism proposed will be limited only to benefits under the new Panchayati Raj initiative or will cover other government welfare programmes as well.
The distinction matters because Aadhaar is already being used for beneficiary authentication across several central government schemes.
For instance Aadhaar based authentication is required under certain components of the National Livestock Mission. Aadhaar seeded bank accounts are also used for payments under schemes like PM-Kisan, rural housing programme and social assistance pensions.
The Indian Express report also said the Ministry of Panchayati Raj does not transfer money directly to individual beneficiaries under its existing schemes.
So government will have to clarify this further if we are to know what exactly was announced by the minister.
What Is Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana?
Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana is a centrally sponsored scheme which aims at strengthening Gram Panchayats and improving their ability to plan and implement local development projects.
The programme replaces Rashtriya Gram Swarajya Abhiyan and forms part of the government’s larger Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
It focuses on improving local governance, building institutional capacity and encouraging Panchayats to generate revenue from their own sources.
The scheme is scheduled to operate from 2026-27 to 2030-31 (i.e. the period of 16th Finance Commission).
During the workshop Singh also urged Panchayats to increase their own-source revenue so that they become financially independent and eligible for performance based grants.
Why Has the Announcement Drawn Attention?
The proposed move from Aadhaar-based beneficiary identification to voter ID based identification is part of broader discussions about identity verification, welfare access and electoral registration in India.
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has led some political parties and civil society groups to fear that eligible voters may be left off electoral lists.
The use of EPIC numbers for welfare identification has therefore led to questions about how beneficiaries would be treated if their names were missing from electoral rolls or their voter ID details needed correcting.
Aadhaar and voter ID have different functions. Aadhaar is identity document issued by Unique Identification Authority of India whereas EPIC is electoral identification issued by Election Commission for electoral purposes.
The arrangement would need clear safeguards against eligible beneficiaries not receiving welfare assistance because voter records are wrong, biometric authentication failed or personal information could not be updated.
What Happens Next?
The minister has announced that beneficiaries’ identification will be changed but several operational details are still unclear.
The government has not yet specified the list of schemes covered, implementation schedule, biometric authentication process or arrangements for people who do not have an active voter ID.
Until formal guidelines are issued, the identification and payment requirements under individual government schemes will continue in force.
What the concerned ministries clarify will determine if this is a piecemeal arrangement under the Panchayati Raj programme or whether it is a change in how government welfare payments are made.
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