OdishaPlus Bureau
Now onwards Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for availing benefits and services from all welfare schemes of the State Government. As a matter of fact, the Odisha Government has allowed the use of Aadhaar authentication for those schemes, which are funded out of Consolidated Fund of the State.
After the Department of Finance has issued orders, all the Departments will have to bring out notifications in this regard.
Special Secretary Finance, PK Biswal has issued guidelines to all the Departments, after Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issued an official circular to this effect.
The use of Aadhar has been made mandatory in order to bring transparency for the delivery of services and subsidies directly in a convenient and seamless manner. This also obviates the need to produce multiple documents to prove one’s identity.
Aadhar authentication is mandated for the beneficiaries Under Section 7 of the Aadhar Act, 2016 in those Schemes, which are partly or fully funded out of Consolidated Fund of the State.
In order to do so, the Departments will issue notifications Under Section 7 of the Aadhar Act in respect of specific schemes similar to the ones notified by Ministries and Departments of the Union Government.
Meanwhile, various Ministries and Departments of the Union Government have notified the schemes and services funded from the Consolidated Fund of India.
Since almost all the services and schemes are funded from the Consolidated Fund, Aadhar authentication is mandated. Earlier, the State Government was not insisting on Aadhar authentication on availing benefits from various pro-poor schemes. However, now the State Government has allowed mandate of Aadhaar authentication keeping in guidelines issued by the Union Government.
Each Department will now identify the schemes for use of Aadhar, where ‘benefits’ are given to the individuals. After identification, it will require legal clearance of the Department of Law for notifying the same.
In Odisha, Aadhar enrolment has covered more than 93 percent against all India average of 90 percent. According to the available statistics, out of a projected 4.58 crore population by 2019, so far 4.41 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated in the age group of 18 years and above, which is 93.1 percent of the projected population.
Now, the State Government has also decided to open Aadhar Facilitation Centres at Urban Local Bodies and Hospitals, for which Department of Electronics and Information Technology has started taking proactive steps.
State Government has also decided to involve schools and Anganwadi centers for registration of Aadhar enrolment of the Children. These steps will expedite the process of Aadhar enrolment in the State.