Aadhaar Seeding Mandatory for State Welfare Schemes in Bengal, Beneficiaries Face Rush at Banks The West Bengal government has introduced a new Aadhaar-based payment system for all state financial assistance schemes, making Aadhaar seeding with bank accounts mandatory for beneficiaries to continue receiving subsidy and welfare funds.

Aadhaar Seeding Mandatory for State Welfare Schemes in Bengal, Beneficiaries Face Rush at Banks The West Bengal government has introduced a new Aadhaar-based payment system for all state financial assistance schemes, making Aadhaar seeding with bank accounts mandatory for beneficiaries to continue receiving subsidy and welfare funds. Under the new arrangement, financial assistance under schemes such as the Lakshmi Bhandar Scheme and Annapurna Yojana will now be transferred only to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. With the implementation process already underway, banks and post offices across the state are witnessing heavy crowds of beneficiaries arriving to link their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts. Long queues have been reported at several branches due to slow servers and technical issues, forcing customers to wait for hours. Bank employees say the rush has significantly increased work pressure. Officials clarified that welfare schemes will not be discontinued and beneficiaries will continue receiving funds directly into their accounts. However, the payment mechanism is being changed to make transfers more transparent and secure. Previously, payments were processed through the Public Finance Management System (PFMS), under which beneficiaries could register multiple bank accounts for receiving funds. According to officials, this often created confusion as scheme money could be credited to different accounts. To streamline the process, the government is now shifting to an Aadhaar-based payment system. Under the revised system, government assistance will be transferred to only one bank account linked with Aadhaar. If a beneficiary has multiple accounts, the subsidy amount will be credited to the account most recently seeded with Aadhaar. Officials further stated that if a beneficiary wishes to change the account in future, Aadhaar linking will have to be updated again with the new account. What is Aadhaar Seeding? Aadhaar seeding refers to linking an Aadhaar number with a bank account or any government service. This process enables direct transfer of subsidies and welfare benefits into beneficiaries’ accounts. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) manages the mapping process to ensure payments are sent to the correct bank account. Once seeded, customers can also access easier e-KYC verification and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) services. Administrative sources noted that Aadhaar linking is already mandatory under the PM-Kisan Yojana and similar norms are now being adopted for state-run schemes as well. The application process for the Annapurna Yojana has also made Aadhaar seeding compulsory. Many beneficiaries, however, remain unaware whether their accounts are linked with Aadhaar. Banks are now assisting customers with verification and updating procedures. Beneficiaries can also check their Aadhaar-bank linking status through the uidai.gov.in⁠�. Those not linked must visit their bank branch and complete the prescribed form using biometric authentication or OTP verification. Officials added that Aadhaar seeding can also be done online through the npci.org.in⁠�. The Postal Department has meanwhile informed that customers can instantly seed Aadhaar by opening an account with India Post Payments Bank at post offices.

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