New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) The Supreme Court today made it clear that Aadhaar cards cannot be made mandatory by the government for extending benefits of social welfare schemes. "The answer is this that for giving benefits of welfare schemes, it (Aadhaar) cannot be pressed. Final disposal of the matter is the solution," the bench said, adding various orders have already been passed that Aadhaar is not mandatory for taking benefits of welfare schemes. The apex court on August 11, 2015 had said that Aadhaar cards will not be mandatory for availing benefits of governments welfare schemes and barred the authorities from sharing personal biometric data collected for enrollment under the scheme. However, on October 15, 2015 it had lifted its earlier restriction and permitted the voluntary use of Aadhaar cards in welfare schemes that also included MGNREGA, all pension schemes and the provident fund besides ambitious flagship programmes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna of the NDA government.

Source: India Today March 27, 2017 13:30 UTC