The Jammu & Kashmir administration has initiated a plan to assign each household a unique alphanumeric "Family ID", as part of its “Digital J&K Vision” to enhance efficiency and transparency in delivering social welfare benefits. Modeled after Haryana’s Parivaar Pehchaan Patra, the eight-digit code will be digitally linked (with Aadhaar and bank accounts) and only implemented with family consent.

Officials explain that once a household is registered in the system, they can access subsidised grains, pensions, scholarships, and other welfare services automatically, without repetitive documentation. The initiative aims to eliminate redundancies and ensure timely aid via direct benefit transfer.

However, the plan has drawn strong criticism from regional parties and data experts. Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) called it a “surveillance tool”, emblematic of a deepening trust deficit since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The National Conference labelled it unnecessary, urging focus on strengthening the delivery of existing schemes. Digital privacy advocates also warned that, in the absence of a robust data protection law, the initiative risks misuse, exclusion, and increased surveillance.