‘Order has no impact on state’s welfare schemes’

The social justice department runs around 150 welfare schemes. We have already linked all of them with Aadhaar. Today’s verdict makes no impact on our functioning. DINESH WAGHMARE, secretary, social justice department

MUMBAI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the constitutional validity of the Centre’s Aadhaar scheme, with riders, and allowed its linking for government-run social welfare schemes.

The verdict comes as a relief for the state government, which runs over 300 welfare schemes linked to Aadhaar.

“The social justice department runs around 150 welfare schemes, which includes scholarship schemes among others. We have already linked all our schemes with Aadhaar. Today’s verdict makes no impact on our functioning as the apex court has allowed for the linking of beneficiaries’ Aadhaar to governmentrun schemes,” said Dinesh Waghmare, secretary, social justice department.

Around 19 departments, including social justice, school education, higher and technical education, tribal development, and minority affairs development, run over 335 schemes dealing with subsidy or monetary welfare schemes.

The state information technology department is also working to cover all such schemes under the direct benefit transfer (DBT) portal in the next two years.

“Most of the schemes run by our department are linked to Aadhaar. The idea was to ensure that the benefits are being given to genuine beneficiaries only,” said a senior official from state tribal affairs department.

“The apex court may have considered the same and allowed linking of Aadhaar with welfare schemes. We are happy that the court made no changes in the existing format," the official added.

Chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain refused to comment, stating that he will be able to react only after reading the order in totality.

“There is a lot in fine print and I don’t wish to make any comments based on part information,” Jain said.

Meanwhile, the court has exempted the use of Aadhaar for admissions to schools. “In this case too, we remain unaffected as we don’t ask students for Aadhaar while giving admission to our hostels,” Waghmare said.

Schools in the city have welcomed the exemption of Aadhaar in admissions. Prashant Redij, secretary, Mumbai Principals’ Association, said, “The government’s Saral portal requires Aadhaar details of all students at the time of admission. These details are crucial as students cannot avail any of the schemes without this. While majority students have got their Aadhaar cards, some who are left will no longer have to struggle.” ››RELATED REPORTS,

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