Beneficiaries of Government Schemes Excluded Due to PAN-Aadhaar Linking Issues

The trouble began when individuals, including those holding Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards, paid a penalty of Rs. 1,000 to link their Aadhaar with their PAN cards after the official deadline. This payment was mistakenly recorded as an income tax payment, thus wrongly categorising these individuals as income tax payers. As a result, they were removed from the list of eligible beneficiaries for government schemes like Gruhalakshmi and housing assistance.

This classification error has had serious repercussions for many families who rely on these schemes for financial support. The Gruhalakshmi scheme, designed to assist women from low-income backgrounds, has particularly been impacted, leaving many beneficiaries without the support they depend on.

The administrative error has affected several areas, with the following reported numbers of incorrectly classified income tax and GST payers:

Sulya Taluk: 337 income tax payers and 226 GST payers
Kadaba: 716 income tax payers and 613 GST payers
Mangalore: 1,470 income tax payers and 976 GST payers
Udupi District: 4,610 individuals with BPL cards have been mistakenly classified as income tax payers

The widespread nature of this issue highlights the extent of the problem and the urgent need for resolution.

In response to the issue, officials from the Child Development Scheme are actively collecting petitions from affected individuals to reinstate their eligibility for the Gruhalakshmi scheme and other benefits. The district administration is in the process of verifying the actual tax status of these individuals to rectify the mistake.

Bharat Mundodi, District President of the Guarantee Implementation Committee, has stated that the issue has been escalated to the government. He assured that a resolution is being sought to address the wrongful exclusion of beneficiaries from vital schemes.

The error highlights the critical need for accurate processing of Aadhaar and PAN linking to prevent such administrative mishaps. The district administration’s efforts to correct the issue and ensure that those affected receive the benefits they are entitled to are crucial in mitigating the impact on low-income families.

The resolution of this problem is eagerly awaited by those who depend on government assistance programs for their livelihoods. The prompt action by officials and the government’s attention to this matter are expected to bring relief to the affected individuals and restore their access to essential support.