UIDAI says govt entities may make Aadhaar mandatory to get government benefits, subsidies

According to a recent circular issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), if you don't have an Aadhaar number or enrolment slip, you may not be entitled to avail of government subsidies and benefits.

The UIDAI issued a circular to all central ministries and state governments last week.

This circular was issued on August 11 to tighten the Aadhaar rules for those who don't have an Aadhaar number and are availing of the subsidies and benefits provided by the government.

If you want certificates by govt which are used for determining the eligibility of beneficiaries for delivery of benefits/subsidies/services under government schemes, they must have the Aadhaar number, said the circular.

According to the circular, there is an existing provision in section 7 of the Aadhaar Act to facilitate a person who has not been assigned an Aadhaar number, to avail of the benefits, subsidies, and services "through alternate and viable means of identification."

The latest circular says that more than 99 percent of adults in the country have been issued an Aadhaar number now.

"Thus in the above backdrop and considering the proviso to Section 7 of the Act...in case no Aadhaar number has been assigned to an individual, he/she shall make an application for enrolment and till the such time Aadhaar number is assigned to such individual, he/she may avail the benefits, subsidies, and services through alternate and viable means of identification along with Aadhaar Enrolment Identification (EID) number/slip," the circular mentioned.

This means an Aadhaar Enrolment Identification (EID) number/slip would be required for availing central and state government services, benefits, and subsidies if one does not have an Aadhaar number yet.

The circular says a multitude of services and benefits are being transferred directly to the residents owing to the wide coverage of 99 percent of adults having Aadhaar identification. "Aadhaar has significantly improved the quality of resident/citizen experience in receiving welfare services," the circular said.

UIDAI issued one more circular on August 11, which says entities may make the Virtual Identifier (VID) optional. "Some government entities may require the Aadhaar number in their respective databases for smooth implementation of the social welfare schemes. Therefore, such government entities may require beneficiaries to provide Aadhaar numbers and make VID optional," the UIDAI has said in the circular.