Compromise of data safety: Display of ration card, Aadhar, mobile no. Info to get Gruha Jyothy scheme

HYDERABAD: Your personal data is sacred and confidential to you. It is your property. Lo! and behold. It will now be in public display. The Energy department has asked people to establish their claim to be eligible for the Gruha Jyothi scheme - free power up to 200 units.

The meter readers, who come to generate bills, would come home to record their details. But the department has asked people to affix the details written on a paper and affix the same to the electric meter.

This enables them to have themselves enrolled even if they are not at home. While this is the intent of the electricity department, the details could be used by cons who could access the same by entering the premises. Essentially if the claimants of the benefit are not at home, anyone can come and note down the same. While it facilitates the meter readers to collect the data, there is no guarantee for the safety of the data in the days of burgeoning cyber crimes. That one mobile number is enough for the fraudsters to wreak havoc.

The Government also wants to deploy Anganwadi workers and Aasha workers to collect data for Rs.500 a gas cylinder as part of the “Mahalakshmi” scheme.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced on Wednesday that Anganwadi and Asha workers would identify individuals who had applied for a gas cylinder for Rs. 500 as part of the Mahalakshmi scheme across the State.

Each worker will take 30 applications door-to-door, check the ration card, LPG company name, customer number, passbook number, delivery receipt and, if eligible, enter the data into the government-run mobile application.

Electricity department asks residents to display details on meters

The Telangana Electricity department has asked residents to display their meter details outside their homes in case no one is available at home. This instructions were issued to the residents as the electricity department is gearing up for the implementation of 200 units free electricity.

The electricity department staff will register the users Aadhaar, ration, and phone numbers at the time of billing. Residents are advised to record details on paper and place them on meters if unavailable at home to facilitate the implementation of a 200-unit free electricity scheme.

Regarding data safety, as it is the government has outsourced the data entry to students and private agencies. Hyderabad witnessed the compromise of personal data of applicants under Praja Palana programme at two places - Hayathnagar and Qutbullapur. The applications are carted through Rapido and some applications fell on the road and onlookers gathered there and confronted the carriers.

Affixing the details openly will surely make the people fall prey to fraudsters.