Government says no one will be deprived of benefits for lack of Aadhaar

NEW DELHI: The government has said that no one would be deprived of benefits of government schemes for lack of Aadhaar.

In a statement, the Centre reiterated that till an individual was assigned an Aadhaar number, benefits would continue to be given to him/her based on any other identification.

The statement came after the opposition attacked the government over the decision to link the mid-day meal scheme with Aadhaar card. The Centre also directed all departments to provide Aadhaar enrolment facilities to their beneficiaries under Regulation 12 of Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016.

"In case of mid-day meal scheme and under the Integrated Child Development Services scheme, schools and Anganwadis have been asked to collect the Aadhaar numbers of child beneficiaries and in case a child does not have Aadhaar, the school or ICDS functionary will be required to provide enrolment facility to the child and till Aadhaar number is assigned, the benefits will continue," the statement said.