No Pension Without Aadhaar Linkage From April 1, 2020

Bhubaneswar: From April 1, 2020 onwards, pensioners availing the benefits under the State-run Madhu Babu Pension Yojana and National Social Assistance Programme will no longer be able to draw their pension if their Aadhaar is not linked with the two-mentioned social welfare schemes.

The State Department of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) on Wednesday shot off a letter to the collectors of all districts to complete the Aadhaar seeding of all the beneficiaries by March 15, 2020.

"At present, Aadhaar seeding is about 91 per cent in case of NSAP and about 73 per cent in case of MBPY in Odisha and it needs to be enhanced to 100% immediately for ensuring complete transparency in respect of these two schemes," the letter read.

The SSEPD issued a set of directives to complete the Aadhaar seeding within the stipulated period. "Those beneficiaries whose Aadhaar verification/seeding is pending will be asked to mandatorily bring a copy of their Aadhaar card when they come to receive their pension on January 15. Those who fail to bring the Aadhaar card on January 15 will be offered another opportunity to do the same on February 15," the letter said.

"Beneficiaries, without Aadhaar card will be taken to block office where a team will be mobilised to collect their particular for issue of Aadhaar card. A block-wise list of beneficiaries will be prepared who do not have Aadhaar card. The process of capturing Aadhaar particulars of these beneficiaries will be completed by January 31," the letter stated.

"Before sanction of new beneficiaries under NSAP and MBPY, Aadhaar verification will be ensured," the letter added.