The Jharkhand Women, Child Development and Social Security Department has decided to make ration cards mandatory for availing benefits under the Maiyan Samman Yojana, following reports of widespread fraud in beneficiary registrations. This step aims to ensure that only genuine residents of Jharkhand receive the financial aid. Each beneficiary’s details will be verified with their ration card before the aid is transferred to their bank accounts.
To strengthen the verification process, the department has sought approval from the Food and Supply Department to access the ration card portal through API. Officials will also cross-check beneficiaries’ status using other databases, including the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), National Informatics Centre (NIC), and the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). Additionally, financial aid will now be given only to women aged 18 to 50 who have Aadhaar-linked single bank accounts, and if Aadhaar is not linked to the Public Distribution System (PDS), verification will be done through UIDAI.
These changes follow shocking instances of fraud, including a case where 95 women were found linked to one man’s bank account in West Bengal. Investigations also revealed several cases where funds were being transferred to family members of government employees. In response, the department is actively removing ineligible applicants from the list. The Maiyan Samman Yojana, a flagship scheme of the Hemant Soren government, provides Rs 2,500 monthly to eligible women, and Rs 13,363 crore has been allocated for it in the 2025-26 budget.
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