The government has made it mandatory to link the Aadhaar number to all new post office deposits like Public Provident Fund, National Savings Certificate Scheme and Kisan Vikas Patra.
The existing post office depositors have been given time till December 31 to seed their UID number with their deposits, the finance ministry said on Friday.
The government is insisting on the 12-digit Unique Identification Number, also known as the Aadhaar number, in order to end the menace of fake and multiple identities.
“Provided that where the Aadhaar number has not been assigned, the depositor shall submit proof of application of enrolment for Aadhaar,” the ministry said in a notification dated September 29.
“Provided further that every depositor under this rule who has not given his Aadhaar number at the time of application for such deposit shall submit his Aadhaar number to the Post Office Savings Bank or Bank concerned, on or before December 31, 2017,” it stated.
Aadhaar is accepted as a valid identity proof by the central and state governments for availing services, including application for passports, opening of bank or insurance accounts, getting telephone and mobile phone connections, buying rail tickets and availing concessions.
As many as 135 schemes of 35 ministries, including the free cooking gas (LPG) to poor women, kerosene and fertiliser subsidy, targeted public distribution system and MGNREGA, will be linked with Aadhaar, another order said.
Aadhaar’s extension would also apply to the Employees’ Pension Scheme of 1995, scholarships, housing subsidy benefit, stipend to SC/ST trainees for coaching guidance and vocational training, stipend to handicapped and Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, national apprenticeship and skill development schemes, crop insurance schemes, interest subvention schemed, scholarship and fellowship schemes, various education programmes such as midday meals for children and the Atal Pension Yojana.