Aadhaar is no longer mandatory to avail the benefits of social welfare schemes funded by the Government.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Government reiterated that till the Aadhaar number is assigned to any individual, the benefit will continue to be given on alternate means of identification. It also directed the departments to provide Aadhaar enrollment facilities to their beneficiaries under Regulation 12 of Aadhaar (Enrollment and Update) Regulations 201.
Considering the usefulness of Aadhaar in curbing leakages and bringing transparency in delivery system, the Government recently had issued orders to use Aadhaar in several welfare schemes funded from the Consolidated Fund of India.
While the order required beneficiaries of these programmes to give their Aadhaar number, it has also been ensured that no one is deprived of the benefits for want of Aadhaar, the release said.
In the case of Mid-Day meal scheme and under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, the schools and Anganwadis have been asked to collect the Aadhaar number of the children beneficiaries. In case a child does not have Aadhaar, the school or ICDS functionary will be required to provide enrollment facilities to a child till Aadhaar number is assigned.