Context: Recently the Union Minister of State for Textiles, Smt. Darshana Jardosh in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today informed that the Ministry of Textiles has issued PAHCHAN cards to 30.53 lakhs handicrafts artisans and 30.90 lakhs handloom weavers across the country under the PAHCHAN initiative since its inception.
About PAHCHAN card
- Pehchan’ cards scheme is a part of the initiative of the Union Textile Ministry to register and provide identity cards to handicraft artisans and link them to a national database.
- It is a newly upgraded ID card for artisans that will be linked with their Aadhaar numbers and bank accounts so that they can receive direct cash-transfer benefits.
Benefits of PAHCHAN card
- All Insured Persons will be issued with two magnetic cards, one for Insured persons & the other for family members
- The central database will be created with demographic and biometric details of Insured persons and their families.
- Insured Persons and their family members can avail of treatment in any ESI Hospital or dispensary across India.
- Besides the ID card will enable the artisans to avail of easy loans at a four per cent interest rate and they get the benefit of life insurance and `1200 per year for their children studying between Class IX and Class XII.
- Biometric details (fingerprints) to verify and authenticate Insured Persons and their families through card swipes.
- Employers can submit their Return of Contribution online Employers can collect information on employees’ benefits availed by respective employees online.
- One-time registration. Employees will carry forward with the same set of cards every time they change employment to prevent duplication of enrolment can be avoided.
Im handloom warkar pehachan card రాలేదు sir