Even as State Governments and public sector oil companies demand linking of Aadhaar cards with bank accounts for transferring subsidies, the Centre said on Friday that the cards were not mandatory for getting subsidies.

Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla assured the Rajya Sabha that the Government would check those public sector undertakings which demand Aadhaar cards for claiming subsidies.

“Aadhaar card is not mandatory for availing themselves of subsidies. If any public sector undertaking is doing it, we will correct it,” Shukla said.

Parliament is yet to pass the Unique Identity Authority of India Bill, which is the legislation that backs Aadhaar cards. The Finance Standing Committee had rejected the legislation claiming that the project was without any direction and clarity. The Opposition had questioned the Centre for allotting funds to the scheme without passing it in Parliament.

Raising the matter during zero hour in Rajya Sabha, CPI leader M.P. Achuthan said the Government could not make Aadhaar mandatory, as thousands of people were yet to get the unique identity number. He wanted the Centre to explain who gave the power to public sector oil companies to make Aadhaar mandatory for providing subsidies.

Senior BJP leader Rama Jois had earlier written to the President and Prime Minister demanding that Adhaar distribution should be stopped until the Bill is passed in Parliament. It is unlikely that the Aadhaar Bill will be taken up in this session too. The Bill was rejected by the standing committee almost unanimously, with just one member submitting a dissent note.

>jigeesh.am@thehindu.co.in

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