Is Aadhaar must for COVID vaccine, medicine, hospitalisation? Govt clarifies

KEY STORY

• The Centre on Saturday clarified that no one can be denied COVID-19 vaccine, medicine, hospitalisation or other essential services if they do not have an Aadhaar.

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said that Aadhaar should not be misused as an excuse for denial of any essential services.

• The clarification comes amid reports that claimed that some essential services like vaccines and hospitalisation, were being denied to the residents for want of Aadhaar.

• India has been grappling with a fatal second wave of the pandemic that is sweeping the country, claiming the lives of many daily, with the recent oxygen supply shortage issue at various hospitals across the country adding to the woes.

• In a statement, the UIDAI said, “No one shall be denied vaccine, medicine, hospitalisation or treatment for want of Aadhaar.”

  What to do if one doesn’t have Aadhaar?

   

• The Aadhaar-issuing body said that “if one does not have Aadhaar or if Aadhaar online verification is not successful due to some reason”, the concerned agency or department should provide the services as per specific norms laid out in Aadhaar Act, 2016.

• It also advised that in case of any such denial of service or benefit, the person should reach out to the higher authorities of concerned departments.

• The UIDAI emphasised that Aadhaar is meant to bring transparency and accountability in public service deliveries through effective use of technology and there are exception handling regulations issued by it through circular dated October 24, 2017, to ensure that no beneficiary is denied of benefits/services for the want of Aadhaar.

• “Also, relevant provisions are there in the Aadhaar Act under Section 7 to ensure that there is no exclusion and no denials.

• Further, the Cabinet Secretariat OM dated 19 December 2017 has clearly explained the exception handling mechanism by using alternate means of identification for extending benefits and services to the residents who do not posses Aadhaar or in cases where Aadhaar authentication is not successful due to any reason,” UIDAI said.