A complete guide to Rajasthan's 'One Number, One Card, One Identity' initiative and why it's essential for you.
If you are a resident of Rajasthan, you have likely heard about the **Jan Aadhaar Card**. Launched by the state government, this card is at the heart of its social welfare delivery system. It is much more than just an identity card; it is the single, mandatory key to unlocking a vast array of government schemes and benefits for your entire family.
Many people get confused between the national Aadhaar Card and the state-level Jan Aadhaar Card. This guide will clearly explain what a Jan Aadhaar Card is, how it is fundamentally different from an Aadhaar Card, and why it is absolutely essential for availing benefits like the state's flagship Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme.
Understanding the difference is simple:
In short, Aadhaar is for an individual, while Jan Aadhaar is for a family unit.
The Government of Rajasthan has linked all its major social welfare schemes to the Jan Aadhaar database. This "One Number, One Card, One Identity" approach simplifies the delivery of benefits and reduces fraud. To avail any of the following schemes, your family must be registered under Jan Aadhaar:
This is the most critical linkage. You cannot get the **₹25 lakh health cover** without your Jan Aadhaar Card. The hospital verifies your eligibility and processes the cashless treatment claim using your Jan Aadhaar number.
Subsidized ration and food grains are distributed to eligible families through biometric verification linked to their Jan Aadhaar Card.
All social security pensions, such as old-age pensions, widow pensions, and disability pensions, are disbursed directly into the bank account of the beneficiary linked with their Jan Aadhaar.
Students apply for and receive scholarship amounts through their family's Jan Aadhaar registration.
If your family does not have a Jan Aadhaar Card, you can get one made for free. The process is straightforward:
The Jan Aadhaar Card has replaced the old Bhamashah Card. All Bhamashah numbers have been automatically converted to Jan Aadhaar numbers. You can check your new number and download the Jan Aadhaar e-card from the official portal.
By default, the senior-most adult female member of the family (18 years or older) is made the Head of the Family. If there is no adult female, the senior-most adult male (21 years or older) can be the head.