Lok Sabha Question No. 1404 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-09
Subject: Aadhaar-based Schemes and Programmes
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Adhikari Deepak Dev

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1404 ANSWERED ON 09/12/2025

## AADHAAR-BASED SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES

## 1404. Shri Adhikari Deepak Dev:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  schemes  and  programmes  initiated  by  the Government  which  require  Aadhaar    card  to  access  public benefits;
- (b) whether the Government has made it mandatory for benficiaries to have an Aadhaar card to access benefits, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there have been cases reported where benefits were not  provided  to  people  on  non-availability  of  Aadhaar  card,  if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government accepts documents excluding Aadhaar card, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a) to (d): As per the information provided by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)  issues  Aadhaar  to  the  residents  of  India  and  provides authentication  services  for  identity  verification  of  Aadhaar  holder. The  scheme  implementing  Ministries/Departments  of  Central  and State  Governments  use  Aadhaar  in  their  schemes/programmes  for transparent delivery of benefits, by establishing identity of individual.

As per section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, Aadhaar may be  required  by  the  Government  for  certain  schemes,  which  are funded  from  Consolidated  Fund  of  India/State,  for  verifying  the

identity  of  beneficiaries  to  prevent  fraud  and  ensure  that  the benefits reach the right people.

The Act also states that if someone doesn't have Aadhaar, they cannot  be  denied  benefits.  In  such  cases,  they  have  to  apply  for Aadhaar and till the time, the Aadhaar is not issued, they can use alternative identity documents to access the scheme. This ensures that no eligible person is excluded from government schemes due to a lack of Aadhaar.

As  on  date,  more  than  2800  government  schemes  have  been notified under section 7 of the Aadhaar Act for use of Aadhaar.

Further,  section  4(6)  of  the  Aadhaar  Act  mandates  that  every user department/agency shall inform to the Aadhaar number holder of  alternate  and  viable  means  of  identification  and  shall  not  deny any  service  to  him  for  refusing  to,  or  being  unable  to,  undergo authentication.

Also, Section 4(7) of the act states that mandatory authentication of an Aadhaar number holder for the provision of any service shall take place only if such authentication is required by a law made by Parliament.

In  line  with  this  framework,  Ministry  of  Rural  Development (MoRD) clarifies that Aadhaar is used in its major schemes primarily to ensure transparency and direct benefit transfer. However, MoRD reiterates  that  no  eligible  beneficiary  is  denied  benefits  due  to non-availability of Aadhaar, and alternative identity documents are accepted until Aadhaar is issued.

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