Managing director of Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (BELTRON) Atul Sinha talked about the e-Shakti cards being used by the state government to mark the attendance of MNREGS workers. Sinha said that looking at the prospects of e-Shakti card, which is a biometrics-enabled smart card, Bihar government is trying to disburse MNREGS wages and extend other government services through it wherever transaction is needed.

“As a bank account is attached with an e-Shakti card, it will become easier to dispense services like PDS, pension, etc, through the card where the beneficiary would just have to swipe the card at the centres to avail the services. It will not only make the system transparent but will also make the system paperless,” he said.

“When UIDAI came, it made the whole system confusing at it was just going to be an identification number. It was not going to serve any purpose. Bihar government’s e-Shakti will open another vista, another door to development,” he added.