An overview of recent news related to Aadhaar, which points towards the increase in government schemes being linked to the scheme, and issues faced by citizens:

CBDT says Aadhaar must from July 1 for filing tax returns, applying for PAN

Following the Supreme Court’s partial stay on Aadhaar-PAN linkage, the The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) clarified that Aadhaar will be mandatory for filing Income Tax Returns or applying for a new PAN from July 1. It added that those who have already been issued Aadhaar numbers need to intimate it to tax authorities for Aadhaar PAN linkage. More on the story at Business Standard.

UIDAI blocks RTI query on fake and duplicate Aadhaar cards

In reply to a RTI query by PTI, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) cited concerns for ‘national security’ to deny data on the number of fake and duplicate Aadhaar cards out there, currently. It also refused to provide details of action (if any) it has taken in such cases. Note that the Government had earlier claimed that the only way to deal with issue of fake and duplicate Aadhaar cards was the linking of Aadhaar and PAN. More about this on TheWire.in.

Aadhaar becomes mandatory for benefits under Atal Pension Yojana

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has been included under Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, which means individuals eligible for benefits under APY will now have to record their Aadhaar number with their APY pension account, as well as with the savings bank account where the Government’s co-contribution is credited. Currently, APY has over 54 lakh subscribers. Read the entire note on PIB.

Five persons charged under Aadhaar Act for issuing forged attestations in Bangalore

A former section officer in the state education department and four others have been charged under the Aadhaar Act for issuing fabricated attestations of identity proof and residential address, at an Aadhaar enrollment centre in Bangalore. A couple of weeks back another gazetted officer was found enabling illegal enrollment of Aadhaar cards. More on this on ETTech.

UIDAI will prioritise GST applicants

UIDAI has informed all registrars and enrollment agencies in its network to prioritise goods and services tax (GST) applicants, who are required to update their mobile numbers in the Aadhaar database before the GST rollout on July 1. The tax payers need to physically present for the update, because biometric authorisation is required to update the mobile number. A Rs 25 fee will be charged for this. Read more about this on Moneycontrol.com.

Want to work at SBI? Get an Aadhaar number first

From July 1, those applying for jobs at State Bank of India (SBI) will have to provide Aadhaar numbers as identity proof. In case the applicant hasn’t received an Aadhaar number yet, they can furnish the 28-digit Aadhaar enrollment ID instead. SBI will check biometric information of the candidate to establish identity. This will be applicable in all states and UTs, except Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam. More on Business Standard.

School children denied benefits like midday meals because they don’t have Aadhaar cards

School children in Bank block of Bhadrak are required to enroll for Aadhaar in order to receive benefits such as midday meals, free uniforms and stipends. But about 70% of the students have been unable to complete the biometric registration as Jan Seva Kendras are demanding payment for completing the enrollment procedure, which is a violation of Government guidelines. Read more on OrissaPost.

Aadhaar is now mandatory for UP school teachers

Government school teachers in Uttar Pradesh will have to get an Aadhaar card by the end of July. If a teacher doesn’t comply with this order, his/her salary will not be credited. There are 4.95 lakh teachers across 1.68 lakh schools in the state. More on The Times of India.