Context: Recently, the Haryana government launched a unique identity card – called Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) – through which the state government aims to monitor each of the approximately 54 lakh families living across the state.

• Under this, each family will be considered a single unit and allotted a 8-digit unique identification number.  
• Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are also exploring the possibility of implementing a similar PPP project. 

Need of Unique Identity cards 

• In order to avail the benefits of social security schemes of the state government, it is mandatory for each family to register themselves on the Parivar Pehchan Patra portal. Also, the government has made it mandatory for employees to go for this PPP, failing which their salaries may also be withheld. 
• It will not be mandatory for every family of the state to obtain a PPP. But, yes, PPP is  mandatory for families availing benefits under government schemes. Also, whenever a family wants to avail any government scheme, it will have to first get a PPP to be eligible. 
• The government will establish the scheme-wise eligibility of a particular family using this  8-digit code according to the information available in the Parivar Pehchan Patra of the family.  
• The benefits, according to the schemes, shall automatically be transferred to the family using the same code. Government says it will ensure that not a single beneficiary is left out from  the government benefits that they are entitled to. 
• Presently four schemes - Chief Minister Family Prosperity Scheme, Old Age Samman Bhatta Yojana, Divyang Jan Pension Yojana and Widow and Desperate Women Pension Scheme - have been linked with family identity card. 
• The Chief Minister announced that within the next three months, various welfare  schemes of all the government departments of the state will be linked to the family identity card.  

The logic behind this move

• Haryana officials said although there is a union government’s Aadhaar card, it contains individual’s details and does not cater to the entire family as a unit.
• In certain circumstances, it may not be possible for a state government to keep track of all the families residing in the state.
• Although the ration card system is there, it is not updated and does not contain adequate  family records.
• With the PPP, it will be easier for the state government to maintain a complete database of all the state dwellers.

How would it work?

• To begin with, the government has already linked PPP with three social security schemes – old age Samman allowance, divyang pension, and the widow and destitute women pension scheme.
• For instance, when a family member turns 60, they will automatically get a message through the software and will automatically start getting benefits of the old-age pension if they meet the required criteria.
• Similarly, the teenagers will get messages on turning 18 years old and shall become eligible for various government schemes that will be notified to them through the software.

How is it different from Aadhaar card? 

• While Aadhaar represents an individual as a unit, a PPP represents a family as a unit. Most of our government schemes are structured around the family. It is not structured around an individual. 
• Aadhaar, due to its litigation history, has not served the purpose of linking different databases because it cannot be shared.  
• For instance, if we have a database on PM Kisan scheme and we want to correspond it to see how many of PM Kisan scheme beneficiaries are registering on Meri Fasal Mera Byora, we are unable to do that. 
• As part of the PPP, the government will take the Aadhar once and put it into a vault called an Aadhaar vault. Aadhaar will not be exposed. But the PPP will be linked to all the family schemes.  
• Thus, the sensitivity to legal requirements diminishes because Aadhar will not be exposed.