Aadhaar for rest, but babus resist link for CGHS
Bureaucrats in India are resisting the mandatory linking of their Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) cards to Aadhaar, despite the government requiring such linkage for welfare beneficiaries. Critics point out the hypocrisy of mandating digital authentication for the poor while exempting government employees.
Why it matters
The story highlights issues of bureaucratic privilege and the uneven application of digital governance policies.
Over 3,100 DBT schemes and 360 public services use Aadhaar-based authentication. Yet the bureaucracy that demands Aadhaar from citizens, often the poorest, has resisted linking their own Central Govt Health Scheme cards to Aadhaar.CGHS beneficiaries include serving and retired central govt employees and family members, sitting and former MPs, sitting and retired judges of SC and HCs, accredited journalists in DelhiAadhaar linking "has helped state ensure targeted, transparent and leak-proof delivery while eliminating duplicate and ineligible beneficiaries," said PIB. However, bureaucrats aren't walking the talk.What’s must for poor is voluntary for babusThere is no annual verification to weed out dead pensioners or their dependents who might have become ineligible.
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