The use of Aadhaar may now be extended to other welfare schemes or initiatives given the widespread coverage of the biometric identity project in the country. This may pave way for the Central Government to notify Aadhaar Act, 2016 and hence make unique identification number mandatory.
There are 102 crore Aadhaar card holders who will be asked to provide their details as beneficiaries once the Act is notified by the government.
The information was announced by Unique Identification Authority of India, Director General and Mission Director A.B. Pandey while giving an address during a two-day National Workshop on Aadhaar Enabled Applications inaugurated in the city of Vijayawada.
According to the clause provided in the current Act, the Central or the State Government can make Aadhaar mandatory for any service, subsidy or benefit that is being given from the Consolidated Fund of India. It also enables a beneficiary who does not have Aadhaar to apply for it immediately. The same shall not be denied.
Aadhaar is already used on a widespread scale to avail benefits in public distribution system (PDS) and LPG connections.
