Notification for making Aadhar mandatory for Scholarship for Children

1817 GI/202 4 (1) EXTRAORDINARY PART II —Section 3 —Sub-section ( ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 1210] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY , MARCH 12, 2024 /PHALGUNA 22, 1945 CG-DL-E-14032024-252983 MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (divyangjan) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 29th February, 2024 S.O. 1272 (E).—Whereas, the use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly to them in a convenient and seamless manner and Aadhaar obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one’s identity; And whereas, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter referred to as t he Department), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Government of India , is administering the Central Sector Umbrella Scheme for Scholarships for Students with Disabilities with the following six components (hereinafter referred to as the Sc hemes) to provide financial assistance to the students with disabilities to support them study further in order to prepare themselves to earn their livelihood and to find a dignified place for themselves in the society as they face several barriers physical, financial, psychological, mental in pursuing studies and living with dignity, which is being implement ed through the following Implementing Agencies (hereinafter referred to as the Implementing Agency(ies)): - Sl.No . Component of the Scheme Implement Agency(ies) 1 Pre-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities National Scholarship Portal (NSP) 2 Post-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities 3 Scholarship for Top Class Education for Students with Disabilities 4 National Overseas Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) 5 National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities Canara Bank Portal 6 Free Coaching for Students with Disabilities (i) Empanelled Central University/Institutes under Free Coaching Scheme of Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implemented by Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) under M/o Social Justice and Empowerment . (ii) National Institutes /Composite Regional Centers under the administrative control of Department. And whereas, under the Schemes, cash benefits namely scholarship amount, Book and A d-hoc Grant, disability -specific allowances like Reader allowance, Transport allowance, Escort allowance, Maintenance allowance, Special allowance, Fellowship amount, Contingency grant, House Rent allowance, Incidental Journey allowance, Equipment allowanc e, Tuition Fees, Cost of Air Passage, Poll Tax, Visa Fees, Medical Insurance Premium, Local travel, Stipend, Coaching Fee (whichever are applicable as per norms of the said scholarship Schemes) (hereinafter referred to as benefits) is given to the Students with Disabilities (hereinafter referred to as the beneficiaries) , by the implementing agencies as per the scheme and extant guidelines issued thereunder; And whereas, implementation of the Scheme involves recurring expenditure incurred from the Consolid ated Fund of India; Now, therefore, in pursuance of section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016) ( hereinafter referred to as the said Act ), the Central Government hereby notifie s the following, namely: - 1. (1) a child desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme shall be required to furnish proof of possession of the Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication. (2) any child desirous of availing the benefit und er the Scheme, who does not possess the Aadhaar number or has not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, shall be required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment subject to the consent of his parents or guardians, before registering for the Scheme provided he is en titled to obtain Aadhaar as per section 3 of the said Act and such children shall visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre (list available at Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website www.uidai.gov.in) to get enrolled for Aadhaar. (3) as per re gulation 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the Ministry/Department through its Implementing Agency, is required to offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for the beneficiaries who are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar and in case there is no Aadhaar enrolment centre located in the respective Block or Taluka or Tehsil, the Ministry/Department through its Implementing Agency shall provide Aadhaar enrolment facilities at convenient locations in coordination with the existing Registrars of Uniq ue Identification Authority of India or by becoming Unique Identification Authority of India Registrar themselves: Provided that till the time Aadhaar is assigned to the individual, the benefit under the Scheme shall be given to such individu als, subject to production of the following documents, namely: - (a) (i) if the beneficiary was enrolled after the age of five years (with biometrics collection), his Aadhaar Enrolment Identification slip, or of bio -metric update identification sl ip, or; (ii) a copy of the request made for Aadhaar enrolment by the beneficiary; and (b) any one of the following identity documents of the beneficiary, namely: - (i) Birth Certificate; or Record of bir th issued by the appropriate authority; or (ii) School identity card, duly signed by the Principal of the school, containing parents names; and (c) any one of the following documents as proof of relationship of the ben eficiary with the parent or legal guardian as per the extant Scheme guidelines, namely: – (i) Birth Certificate; or Record of birth issued by the appropriate authority; or (ii) Ration Card; or (iii) Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Card; or Employees' Stat e Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Card; or Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) Card; or (iv) Pension Card; or (v) Army Canteen Card; or (vi) any Government Family Entitlement Card; or (vii) any other document as specified by the Ministry and Department: Provided further that the above documents shall be checked by an officer specifically designated by the Ministry and Department for that purpose. 2. In order to provide benefits to the beneficiaries under the Scheme conveniently, the Ministry and Department through i ts Implementing Agency shall make all the required arrangements to ensure that wide publicity through media shall be given to the beneficiaries to make them aware of the said requirement. 3. Where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics o f the beneficiaries or due to any other reason, the following remedial mechanisms shall be adopted, namely: - (a) in case of poor fingerprint quality, iris scan or face authentication facility shall be adopted for authentication and the Ministry/Department thro ugh its Implementing Agency shall make provisions for iris scanners or face authentication along with finger print authentication for delivery of benefits in seamless manner; (b) in case the biometric authentication through fingerprints or iris scan or face au thentication is not successful, wherever feasible and admissible authentication by Aadhaar One Time Password or Time -based One -Time Password with limited time validity, as the case may be, shall be offered; (c) in all other cases where biometric or Aadhaar On e Time Password or Time -based One -Time Password authentication is not possible, benefits under the Scheme may be given on the basis of physical Aadhaar letter whose authenticity can be verified through the Quick Response code printed on the Aadhaar le tter and the necessary arrangement of Quick Response code reader shall be provided at the convenient locations by the Ministry/Department through its Implementing Agency. 4. Notwithstanding anything contained herein above, no child shall be denied b enefit under the Scheme in case of failure to establish his identity by undergoing authentication, or furnishing proof of possession of Aadhaar number, or in the case of a child to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned, producing an application for enro lment, the benefit shall be given to him by verifying his identity on the basis of other documents as mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of the proviso of sub -paragraph (3) of paragraph 1, and where benefit is given on the basis of such other documents, a se parate register shall be maintained to record the same, which shall be reviewed and audited periodically by the Ministry and Department through its Implementing Agency. 5. This notification shall come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette in all the States and Union territories. [F. No. P -13013/24/2023 -UDID/IT/STATISTICS] RAJEEV SHARMA , Jt. Secy . Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring R oad, Mayapuri, New Delhi -110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi -110054.