Introduction: The Unique Disability Identification (UDID) Scheme, administered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, extends its benefits to children below 18 years with disabilities. This article discusses the scheme’s integration with Aadhaar, its features, and the mechanisms in place for its implementation.
Analysis:
The UDID Scheme facilitates the delivery of services and benefits to children below 18 years with disabilities by leveraging Aadhaar as an identity document. This simplifies the government’s service delivery processes, enhances transparency, and ensures that beneficiaries receive their entitlements conveniently. The scheme is implemented through District Medical Authorities or designated medical bodies, acting as Implementing Agencies.
The scheme’s main components include the creation of a unique central database for children with disabilities, the recognition of the UDID card across India’s territories, and the potential benefits arising from linking various government schemes with the UDID card.
To avail benefits under the scheme, a child with disabilities below the age of 18 must provide proof of Aadhaar possession or undergo Aadhaar authentication. In cases where a child doesn’t possess an Aadhaar number, they can apply for Aadhaar enrolment with the consent of their parents or guardians. The Department, through its Implementing Agency, offers enrolment facilities to children not yet enrolled.
If a child doesn’t have an Aadhaar number assigned yet, benefits can be availed by producing specific documents, such as an Aadhaar enrolment identification slip or a request for enrolment, along with documents verifying their relationship with parents or legal guardians. The implementation mechanisms include alternative authentication methods in case biometric authentication fails, ensuring that no eligible child is deprived of benefits.
Conclusion: The integration of the Unique Disability Identification (UDID) Scheme with Aadhaar for children below 18 years with disabilities signifies the government’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. By streamlining the benefits delivery process, the scheme empowers children with disabilities and ensures their entitlements are easily accessible. The emphasis on maintaining records and periodic audits underscores the government’s dedication to transparent and accountable implementation. The UDID Scheme has the potential to significantly improve the lives of young individuals with disabilities across the country.
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Notification of UDID Project for Child below 18 years under Section 7 of Aadhar Act
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (divyangjan)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 8th August, 2023
S.O. 3591(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 by obviating the need to produce multiple documents to prove one’s identity;
And whereas, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (hereinafter referred as the Department) in the Government of India is administering the Unique Disability Identification (UDID) (hereinafter referred to as the Scheme) as a Central Sector Scheme, which is being implemented through the District Medical Authorities or any other medical authority notified by the State Government or Union Territory Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Implementing Agency);
And whereas, under the Scheme, unique central database of persons with disabilities, recognition of UDID card across the territory of the Union of India and potential benefits which may arise from time to time due to linking of various Government schemes with UDID card (hereinafter referred to as the benefits) is given to persons with disabilities who are below the age of 18 years (hereinafter referred to as the beneficiaries) as per the Scheme and extend guidelines issued thereunder;
And whereas, the implementation of the Scheme involves recurring expenditure incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India;
Now, therefore, in pursuance of the provisions 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:-
(a) a child (persons with disabilities who are below the age of 18 years) desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme shall be required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication;
(b) 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 such child is entitled to obtain Aadhaar as per section 3 of the said Act and that 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;
(c) as per regulation 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the 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 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 child, benefits under the Scheme shall be given to such child, 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 of the following documents of the beneficiaries as proof of relationship with the parent or legal guardian as per the Scheme, 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
iii. Ration Card; or
iv. Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Card; or Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Card; or Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) Card; or
v. Pension Card; or
vi. Army Canteen Card; or
vii. any Government Family Entitlement Card; or
viii. any other document as specified by the Department:
Provided further that the above documents shall 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 media shall be given to the beneficiaries to make them aware of the requirement of Aadhaar under the Scheme.
3. In all 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. Every child shall be entitled to the benefit under the Scheme, and in case a child fails to establish its 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, on producing an application for enrolment, the benefit shall be given to such child by verifying its identity on the basis of other documents as mentioned in clause (b) of the proviso to subparagraph (c) 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 Department through its Implementing Agency.
5. This notification shall come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette in all the States and Union territories.
[F. No. . P-13013/24/2023-UDID/IT/STATISTICS]
RAJEEV SHARMA, Jt. Secy.
