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| Government can't be stopped from using Aadhaar card in schemes like opening of bank accounts. |
NEW DELHI: Aadhaar cannot be
mandatory for central welfare schemes, the Supreme Court said today, but added
that it cannot stop the government from linking the 12-digit identification
number to the opening of bank accounts or filing of tax returns.
The government recently made it mandatory for
citizens to produce the 12-digit Aadhaar number for benefits under nearly three
dozen central schemes including free mid-day meals for schoolchildren. Aadhaar
was also made compulsory for scholarships and other schemes for backward castes
and the disabled. Aadhaar cards are mandatory for subsidized cooking gas and
foodgrains.
The government has said it will enable people
to get their biometric identity documents by June 30.
Aadhaar cards will also be needed for filing
tax returns - a move that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says will check tax
evasion.
The Supreme Court today said it cannot stop the
government from doing so but reiterated its earlier order that Aadhaar cannot be
mandatory for people to benefits under official welfare schemes.
Last week, responding to opposition criticism
in parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that Aadhaar may soon
become the only card required to identify a person, replacing Voter IDs and PAN
or Permanent Account Number. He said as many as 98 per cent or 108 crore people
have Aadhaar numbers.
The government has said that until all
beneficiaries are assigned Aadhaar cards, subsidized foodgrain will be provided
on ration cards and Aadhaar enrolment slips or a copy of an applicant's request
for Aadhaar enrolment.
The centre has asked states to link Aadhaar
numbers with the ration card or with bank accounts for cash transfer of food
subsidy.
The use of Aadhaar as the identity document for
benefits or subsidies simplifies delivery and helps make the system more
transparent and efficient, the government says.
Source : http://www.ndtv.com/
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