Students in government-run primary schools ​in Uttar Pradesh will not be able to avail the midday meal facility if they don't have the Aadhaar card, as the state government has made it mandatory to have UIDAI number, with the HRD ministry mandating the same.

The move by the Yogi Adityanath government comes after the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), under the Human Resource Development ministry, decided to give a window till June 30 to those who do not have an Aadhaar card yet.

The Director of Basic Education has asked education officers in all the districts to ensure that every beneficiary of the midday meal has an Aadhaar card, reported the Hindu

“If Aadhaar cards for all beneficiaries of the midday meal scheme are not made and their numbers not submitted to the State government, then the students without such cards will not be able to benefit from the different schemes of the government," said Director, Basic Education, Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh, in a letter addressed to primary education officers.

The director has also warned the officials that they would be held responsible if students UIDAI numbers are not submitted.

However, the report said that the government's direction has left the school authorities puzzled as schools have closed for vacation and will reopen only on July 1.

Singh has also asked all the primary education officers to submit a list of students who possess Aadhaar cards to the State government.

The move by the government, aimed at improving efficiency and transparency, comes following a push from the Central government to link the Aadhaar number with subsidy schemes related to school education.