The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), on January 13, 2026, notified the requirement of Aadhaar authentication or proof of Aadhaar enrolment as a condition for availing benefits under the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities, administered by the Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities. The notification has been issued under section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, with the objective of ensuring transparent, efficient, and targeted delivery of subsidies and services.
Under the notification, beneficiaries are required to authenticate their identity using Aadhaar or furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar, and those without Aadhaar must apply for enrolment. Detailed alternative identification mechanisms have been prescribed for children and adults who have not yet been assigned Aadhaar numbers, including the use of enrolment ID (EID) and other valid government documents. Provisions have also been made for Aadhaar enrolment facilitation, offline verification, and exception handling where biometric or OTP-based authentication fails.
The notification further ensures that no child beneficiary is denied benefits due to lack of Aadhaar, subject to verification of identity and relationship with a parent or legal guardian, with proper records to be maintained and audited. The Ministry is also mandated to undertake wide publicity to create awareness about Aadhaar requirements and follow the DBT exception-handling framework to protect genuine beneficiaries. The notification comes into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
[S.O. 217(E)]
