The Ministry of Minority Affairs on August 13 made Aadhaar mandatory to avail benefits under the Central Sector Scheme of Nai Roshni — The Scheme for Leadership Development of Minority Women across India, except in Assam and Meghalaya. The scheme provides training to women from minority communities on how to interact with government institutions, banks and intermediaries. Live Law first tweeted about the development. Under the scheme, which was established in 2012–13, women from minority communities are provided leadership training through NGOs, civil societies and government institutions along with information on financial literacy, educational programmes, health & hygiene, legal rights of women, digital literacy, etc. Organisations involved in the scheme, like NGOs, universities, and self-help groups, can apply for financial assistance. Each woman who is trained is given a stipend of ₹100 a day for the six-day non-residential programme and ₹150 a day for the five-day residential programme. As per the new notification, if a woman does not have an Aadhaar number at the time of enrolment, she must apply to get her Aadhaar number and furnish her Aadhaar Enrolment Identification slip along with one of the following documents: Bank post office passbook with photo PAN card Passport Ration Card Voter ID card MGNREGA card Kisan photo passbook Driving licence Certificate of identity with photo that has been issued by a gazetted officer or a tehsildar on an official letter head Any other document specified by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. If, despite having an Aadhaar number, authentication fails because…
