For 65 lakh people availing Maharashtra’s free nutrition scheme, Aadhaar now made compulsory

The Maharashtra government has announced that Aadhaar cards will be made mandatory to avail any state-run free nutrition scheme. The scheme ensures that malnourished children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers across the state are provided good-quality food in a bid to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate.

According to sources, the move to make Aadhaar cards mandatory was in a bid to weed out ghost benefits and curb irregularities.

Currently, there are 56 lakh malnourished children and 9 lakh pregnant women and lactating mothers covered under the scheme that was implemented in the state since 1975.

The government recently issued a notification in this regard indicating that concerned officers from the Women and Child Development department will be held accountable if unregistered beneficiaries continue avail the scheme.

An Officer from the state women and child development department told DNA, “As per the directive issued by the Government of India on April 1 this year, the free nutrition scheme under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) can be availed by those who have already registered with the Unique Identification Authority of India for Aadhaar and those who have comleted Aadhaar seeding process of linking Aadhaar Card with other Government  official documents like Pan Card, Voter ID card and with the individual’s bank account. A special drive has already been undertaken across Maharashtra to complete the Aadhaar registration process so that ghost benefit can be weeded out and the genuine can avail the scheme.” 

He informed that the department has deployed more than 3,800 supervisors to complete the process on war footing. According to him the state Directorate of Information technology has provided tablets so that the Aadhaar registration with biometric process can be speedily completed.

He said those who have initiated the Aadhar registration process and seeding process for a moment can continue to avail the scheme. ''However, they must soon link up with Aadhaar card failing which they won't be entitled for the benefit. For children up to 5, the registration has to be completed in the presence of father whose biometric will be required,'' he added.

However, the officer said the Child Development Officer will be held responsible if a beneficiary is found for lack of Aadhaar registration number or has failed to comply with the procedure  to apply for Aadhaar and still continues to avail the scheme.