Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has made it mandatory to have an Aadhaar number or enrolment slip to avail government subsidies and benefits.
Aadhaar card is an important document which acts as a proof of identity and is needed almost everywhere. From a newborn to a senior citizen, it is mandatory for every Indian resident to have an Aadhaar card. It is used as a valid form of identification and proof of address. And now UIDAI has made it mandatory to have an Aadhaar number, or enrolment slip for those who haven’t got an Aadhaar identification yet, to avail government subsidies and benefits. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) shared a circular about the same to all central ministries and state governments on August 11, according to News18.
The circular mentioned that more than 99 percent of adults in the country have been issued an Aadhaar number now. According to reports, there is an existing provision in section 7 of the Aadhaar Act that says that a person who has not been assigned an Aadhaar number, can avail the government benefits, subsidies, and services “through alternate and viable means of identification.”
As reported by News18, the statement reads, “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 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 also shared that several government services and benefits are being transferred directly to the residents having Aadhaar identification. As per the recent data of UIDAI, nearly 95.74 lakh Aadhaar numbers are assigned to adults. This is nearly 101 per cent of the projected population of adults in India as of 2022.
Virtual Identifier (Vid) can be an alternative
The UIDAI had earlier extended the facility of virtual identifiers (VID) to residents. VID is an interchangeable 16-digit revocable 16-digit random number mapped with the Aadhaar number. VID can be used in lieu of Aadhaar number wherever authentication or e-KYC is needed.
However, the UIDAI has said government entities may make the VID optional.
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