Lakhs of people in Assam unable to get Aadhaar cards, denied benefits under several welfare schemes

Over 19 lakh people, whose names were not included in the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), published in August 2019, did not get Aadhaar cards as the document is necessary for availing benefits of various welfare schemes. These 19 lakh people in absence of Aadhaar cards are now facing serious problems as their biometric data have been locked following the directive of the Supreme Court, which is overseeing the NRC updating process.

While replying to a question of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam, General Administration, Panchayat, Rural Development Departments Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass told the Assam assembly on Tuesday that the state government is aware of the problem as many eligible people are not getting benefits of welfare schemes due to the lack of Aadhaar cards that are mandatory to be linked to their bank accounts in receiving the benefits.

The Minister said that the state government has written at least twice to the Union Home Minister in 2020 and 2021, requesting the Centre to allow the authority to access the biometric details of at least those whose names had figured in the final draft of the NRC. "Chief Minister (Himanta Biswa Sarma) himself recently raised the issue in the state Cabinet meeting and a sub-committee has been formed to look into the problem and the way forward with different organisations," Dass said.

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The ministerial sub-committee, comprising ministers Ajanta Neog, Atul Bora and Pijush Hazarika, would soon likely to initiate consultations with different groups, including All Assam Students' Union (AASU). The Minister told the house that 85.55 per cent of people in Assam have registered for Aadhaar enrolment till February this year. AIUDF legislator Islam said that though the state government has been claiming to have resolved the issue, no favourable step has been taken. A large number of genuine citizens are being denied their due benefits, he said.

While Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar requested the government to define specific period to resolve the problem, ruling BJP legislator Biswajit Phukan said that the government should ensure that at least those whose names were included in the final draft of the NRC are not deprived of the benefits. Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said that in absence of Aadhaar, lakhs of people are not getting ration under the public distribution system, unable to operate bank accounts and not getting houses under various housing schemes. Assam assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary said that after discussing the matter with the Chief Minister and others, the matter once again can be brought to the notice of the central government.

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