Fix Aadhaar-power linkage errors, State BJP chief urges government

Andhra Pradesh BJP president P. V. N. Madhav has urged the State government to immediately rectify errors in Aadhaar-linked electricity service connections, alleging that thousands of eligible beneficiaries are being denied welfare benefits, pensions and subsidised electricity due to administrative lapses.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mr. Madhav said the issue had emerged as a major grievance during the BJP’s “Janata Varadhi” outreach programme. He alleged that multiple electricity service connections had been linked to a single Aadhaar number because of technical and administrative errors, resulting in genuine beneficiaries losing access to government benefits. He also claimed that several consumers had found electricity service connections and bills belonging to unrelated persons linked to their Aadhaar numbers.

Mr. Madhav criticised the authorities for asking affected consumers to furnish the Aadhaar details of other electricity consumers, and said the responsibility for correcting the errors rested with the government.

He said the problem was affecting aqua farmers, barbers, goldsmiths, carpenters and economically weaker families belonging to the BC, SC and ST communities. He also attributed delays in resolving grievances to staff shortages in Electrical Revenue Offices (EROs).

Mr. Madhav called for a Statewide audit of Aadhaar-electricity linkage records, a special drive to identify and rectify discrepancies, the appointment of district-level nodal officers, filling of vacancies in EROs, and the introduction of a digital verification system to prevent such errors. He urged the government to ensure that no eligible citizen was deprived of welfare benefits because of administrative mistakes.