MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Economic Affairs)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 31st March, 2023
S.O. 1552(E).—Whereas, the use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly in a convenient and seamless manner and Aadhaar obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one’s identity;
And whereas, the Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the Department) in the Government of India, is administering National Savings Schemes [encourage savings amongst the people through avenues for safe and convenient investment to small savers] (hereinafter referred to as the Scheme), which is being implemented through Department of Posts, Public Sector Banks and authorised private banks (hereinafter referred to as the Implementing Agencies);
And whereas, under the Schemes, attractive interest rates and safe investment (hereinafter referred to as the benefits) are given to the account holder or nominee or legal heirs (hereinafter referred to as the beneficiaries) as per extant Scheme guidelines;
And whereas, the benefits offered under the Schemes involves recurring expenditure or tax revenues foregone from the Consolidated Fund of India;
Now, therefore, in pursuance of section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government hereby notifies the following, namely:-
1. (1) a child desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme shall be required to furnish proof of possession of the Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.
(2) any child desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme, who does not possess the Aadhaar number or has not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, shall be required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment subject to the consent of his parents or guardians, before registering for the Scheme provided he is entitled to obtain Aadhaar as per section 3 of the said Act and such child shall visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre (list available at Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website uidai.gov.in) to get enrolled for Aadhaar.
(3) as per regulation 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency is required to offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for the beneficiaries who are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar and in case there is no Aadhaar enrolment centre located in the respective Block or Taluka or Tehsil, the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency shall provide Aadhaar enrolment facilities at convenient locations in coordination with the existing Registrars of UIDAI or by becoming UIDAI Registrar themselves:
Provided that till the time Aadhaar is assigned to the individual, the benefit under the Scheme shall be given to such individuals, subject to production of the following documents, namely:-
(a) (i) if the beneficiary was enrolled after the age of five years (with biometrics collection), his Aadhaar Enrolment Identification slip, or of bio-metric update identification slip, or;
(ii) a copy of the request made for Aadhaar enrolment by the beneficiary; and
(b) any one of the following identity documents of the beneficiary namely:-
(i) Birth Certificate; or record of birth issued by the appropriate authority; or
(ii) School identity card, duly signed by the Principal of the school, containing parents names; and
(c) any one of the following documents as proof of relationship of the beneficiary with the parent or legal guardian as per the extant Scheme guidelines, namely:–
(i) Birth Certificate; or Record of birth issued by the appropriate authority; or
(ii) Ration Card; or
(iii) Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme Card; or Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Card; or Central Government Health Scheme Card; or
(iv) Pension Card; or
(v) Army Canteen Card; or
(vi) any Government Family Entitlement Card; or
(vii) any other document as specified by the Ministry or Department:
Provided further that the above documents shall be checked by an officer specifically designated by the Ministry or Department for that purpose.
2. In order to provide benefits to the beneficiaries under the Scheme conveniently, the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency shall make all the required arrangements to ensure that wide publicity through media shall be given to the beneficiaries to make them aware of the said requirement.
3. In cases where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics of the beneficiaries or due to any other reason, the following remedial mechanisms shall be adopted, namely:-
(a) in case of poor fingerprint quality, iris scan or face authentication facility shall be adopted for authentication and the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency shall make provisions for iris scanners or face authentication along with finger print authentication for delivery of benefits in seamless manner;
(b) in case the biometric authentication through fingerprints or iris scan or face authentication is not successful, wherever feasible and admissible authentication by Aadhaar One Time Password or time-based One-Time Password with limited time validity, as the case may be, shall be offered;
(c) in all other cases where biometric or Aadhaar One Time Password or time-based One-Time Password authentication is not possible, benefits under the Scheme may be given on the basis of physical Aadhaar letter whose authenticity can be verified through the Quick Response code printed on the Aadhaar letter and the necessary arrangement of Quick Response code reader shall be provided at the convenient locations by the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agencies.
4. In addition to the above, no child shall be denied benefit under the Scheme in case of failure to establish his identity by undergoing authentication, or furnishing proof of possession of Aadhaar number, or in the case of a child to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned, by producing an application for enrolment, the benefit shall be given to him by verifying his identity on the basis of other documents as mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of the proviso of sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 1, and where benefit is given on the basis of such other documents, a separate register shall be maintained to record the same, which shall be reviewed and audited periodically by the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency.
5. This notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette in all the States and Union territories.
[F. No. 1/3/2015-NS]
ASHISH VACHHANI, Addl. Secy.
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MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Economic Affairs)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 31st March, 2023
S.O. 1553(E).—Whereas, the use of Aadhaar as an identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly in a convenient and seamless manner by obviating the need to produce multiple documents to prove one’s identity;
And whereas, the Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the Department) in Government of India, is administering National Savings Schemes [encourage savings amongst the people through avenues for safe and convenient investment to small savers] (hereinafter referred to as the Scheme), which is being implemented through Department of Posts, Public Sector Banks and authorised private banks (hereinafter referred to as the Implementing Agencies);
And whereas, under the Schemes, attractive interest rates and safe investment (hereinafter referred to as the benefits) are given to the account holder or nominee or legal heirs (hereinafter referred to as the beneficiaries) as per extant Scheme guidelines;
And whereas, the benefits offered under the Schemes involves recurring expenditure or tax revenues foregone from the Consolidated Fund of India;
Now, therefore, in pursuance of section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government hereby notifies the following, namely:-
1. (a) an individual eligible for receiving the benefits under the Scheme shall hereby be required to furnish proof of possession of the Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication;
(b) any individual desirous of availing benefits under the Scheme, who does not possess the Aadhaar number or, has not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, shall be required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment before registering for the Scheme provided that he is entitled to obtain Aadhaar as per section 3 of the said Act, and such individual shall visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre (list available at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website uidai.gov.in) to get enrolled for Aadhaar;
(c) as per the regulation 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the Department through its Implementing Agencies, is required to offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for the beneficiaries who are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar and in case there is no Aadhaar enrolment centre located in the respective Block or Taluka or Tehsil, the Department through its Implementing Agency shall provide Aadhaar enrolment facilities at convenient locations in coordination with the existing Registrars of UIDAI or by becoming a UIDAI Registrar themselves:
Provided that till the time Aadhaar is assigned to the individual, benefits under the Scheme shall be given to such individual, subject to the production of the following documents, namely :–
(a) if he has enrolled, his Aadhaar Enrolment Identification slip; and
(b) any one of the following documents, namely :-
(i) Bank or Post office Passbook with Photo; or
(ii) Permanent Account Number Card; or
(iii) Passport; or
(iv) Ration Card; or
(v) Voter Identity Card; or
(vi) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act card; or
(vii) Kisan Photo passbook; or
(viii) Driving licence issued by the Licensing Authority under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988); or
(ix) Certificate of identity having photo of such person issued by a Gazetted Officer or a Tehsildar on an official letter head; or
(x) any other documents as specified by the Department:
Provided, further that the above documents may be checked by an officer specifically designated by the Department for that purpose.
2. In order to provide benefits to the beneficiaries under the Scheme conveniently, the Department through its Implementing Agency shall make all the required arrangements to ensure that wide publicity through the media shall be given to the beneficiaries to make them aware of the requirement of Aadhaar under the Scheme.
3. In cases where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics of the beneficiaries or due to any other reason, the following remedial mechanisms shall be adopted, namely:-
(a) in case of poor fingerprint quality, iris scan or face authentication facility shall be adopted for authentication, and the Department through its Implementing Agency shall make provisions for iris scanners or face authentication along with finger-print authentication for delivery of benefits in seamless manner;
(b) in case the biometric authentication through fingerprints or iris scan or face authentication is not successful, wherever feasible and admissible authentication by Aadhaar One Time Password or time-based One-Time Password with limited time validity, as the case may be, shall be offered;
(c) in all other cases where biometric or Aadhaar One time Password or time-based One-Time Password authentication is not possible, benefits under the Scheme may be given on the basis of physical Aadhaar letter whose authenticity can be verified through the Quick Response code printed on the Aadhaar letter and the necessary arrangement of Quick Response code reader shall be provided at convenient locations by the Department through its Implementing Agency.
4. In order to ensure that no bonafide beneficiary under the Scheme is deprived of his due benefits, the Department through its Implementing Agency shall follow the exception handling mechanism as specified in the Office Memorandum of Direct Benefit Transfer Mission, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India No. D-26011/04/2017-DBT, dated the 19th December 2017. (available on https://dbtbharat.gov.in/).
5. This notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette in all the States and Union territories.
[F. No. 1/3/2015-NS]
ASHISH VACHHANI, Addl. Secy.
