Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee asks States to use Aadhaar platform while implementing government schemes and distributing subsidised essential commodities like ration and cooking gas cylinders.

The Union Minister said that the Aadhaar initiative has huge potential to streamline delivery and empowering the common citizen and it will also help in curbing expenditure.

In a letter written to Chief Ministers of 16 states, he also underlined the need for expeditious roll out of Aadhaar-enabled payments for various central government schemes.

In the first stage, such payment mechanism would be rolled out for various Central Government schemes in 50 districts spread over 16 states. Mr. Mukherjee said that pilots are proposed to be run for Public Distribution System, LPG distribution, kerosene disbursal.

Our correspondent reports, government pension schemes, Janani Suraksha Yojana, government scholarships, financial inclusion, Kisan Credit Cards and MGNREGS wage disbursal are also to be brought under the pilot project.