Changes to Aadhaar Bill receive government nod

New Delhi: Continuing with its sustained efforts of including Aadhaar cards as one of the identity proofs for seeking subsidies and various services, the government has approved official changes to the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019 that incorporates a clause to allow the use of Aadhaar data for state schemes and subsidies.

The amendment to the Aadhaar Act entails the use of India’s national biometric ID by state governments for schemes that are funded through the ‘consolidated fund of the state’.

Asked whether this was an attempt to make Aadhaar compulsory for seeking state subsidies, minister for information & broadcasting Prakash Javadekar told reporters that it was demanded by states and Aadhaar would only be used as an enabling provision.

On being further asked whether states could make Aadhaar compulsory by using it as an enabling provision, the minister did not respond.

“The states had dem-anded (this). As per Supreme Court order, Aadhaar is allowed whe-re the funds are going for beneficiary schemes coming straight from the Central government. It will enable the use (sic),” the minister said.