Come September 1, 2017, only those TB patients who have Aadhaar number will be able to avail cash benefits under the Government’s Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).
The move is likely to adversely impact the migrants suffering from TB who usually finds it difficult to get the Aadhaar documents in the absence of residential address.
According to the Government notification issued on June 19, “An individual eligible to receive the benefit under the Scheme, is hereby, required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.”
The notification further says that the scheme offers conditional cash assistance as a benefit. The beneficiaries include TB patients, private healthcare providers and treatment supporters. The RNTCP says it aims to provide “universal access to tuberculosis care.” “TB patients and their caregivers who want to avail of these benefits would need to enrol for an Aadhaar card by August 31, 2017. Until the Aadhaar is actually issued, beneficiaries will need an Aadhaar enrolment ID slip, a copy of the request made for Aadhaar enrolment or a range of other Government-issued cards such as a voter identity card, PAN card, certificate of identity issued by a gazette officer, bank passbook, kisan photo passbook, ration card” or “any other document as specified by the State Government or Union Territory administration,” as per the notification.
Director General Health Services Jagdish Prasad said that the RNTCP is being administered through a web-based application called Nikshay. linking it with Aadhar aims to ensure transparency in fund transfer.
He further said the Health Ministry will offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for those who do not have an Aadhaar number. In case, there is no Aadhaar enrolment centre located in the respective block or taluka or tehsil, the department in the State Government will provide enrolment facilities at convenient locations in coordination with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
According to reports, the prevalence of TB in India was at 217 per 1,00,000 population in 2015 as against the previously estimated 127.