The central government has made it compulsory for people getting benefits under the National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP) to either: Give their Aadhaar number or show proof that they have applied for it. This rule is needed to get benefits like transport allowance stay and food support travel help and post-training assistance. However the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment also made it clear that no eligible child will be denied benefits just because they don’t have an Aadhaar yet or if Aadhaar verification fails. This rule was announced through an official government notification. This scheme launched in March 2015 by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) helps people with disabilities get vocational training so they can find jobs and become self-reliant. It is part of the larger program called SIPDA (Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act). What the new rules say? If a person doesn’t have Aadhaar they must apply for it. For children Aadhaar enrolment should be done with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Until they get an Aadhaar number people can use other identity documents like: Birth certificate school records adoption or guardianship papers What happens if Aadhaar doesnt work? If someones fingerprint or eye scan (biometric) doesn’t work due to a disability or other issue the following options can be used instead: OTP (one-time password) on phone Scanning the Aadhaar QR code Offline e-KYC (identity check) Government support Agencies running the scheme have been told to set up Aadhaar enrolment centres in easy-to-reach places or become official Aadhaar registrars themselves. A designated officer will check and verify the Aadhaar-related documents on the UIDAI portal (Aadhaar authority website) and may take help from other government departments if needed. Awareness Campaign The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will run a media campaign to inform beneficiaries about the Aadhaar rule. The new rule has officially come into effect from July 2 the date it was published in the government gazette. (With PTI inputs)