Aadhaar number mandatory to receive govt benefits, subsides: Report

New Delhi, Aug 16: A recent circular issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has notified that individuals who don't have an Aadhaar number or enrolment slip, may not be able to avail government subsidies and benefits.

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.

According to news agency ANI, the new circular was issued on August 11. It states that those who want certificates by government which are used for determining the eligibility of beneficiaries for delivery of benefits, subsidies, services under government schemes, they must have the Aadhar number.

"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", News18 said.

"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 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 was stated as saying the report.

More than 99 percent of adults in the country have been issued an Aadhaar number.

Aaadhar, the identity proof card backed by the world's largest biometric identification system, is a 12-digit random number issued by the UIDAI to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process.