Children Without Aadhaar Will Continue to Get Mid-Day Meals: Govt

Prakash Javadekar also said the government will ensure that the school children get Aadhaar cards.

Children will not be deprived of mid-day meals if they do not have an Aadhaar card, government said on Friday.

Also Read: No Mid-day Meals For Children Without Aadhar Cards, HRD Min Rules

During Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Motilal Vohra questioned the government’s decision to make the Aadhaar mandatory under the mid-day meal scheme.

It seems the government has decided to take away the free food scheme from school children.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, however, refuted the suggestion and said that all beneficiaries will be provided with the mid-day meal. The government will also ensure that all beneficiaries get the 12-digit unique identification number, he added.

I want to tell this House that no one will be deprived of mid-day meals. Everybody will get mid-day meal and they will get Aadhaar card as well.

He said a large number of beneficiaries already have the Aadhaar and facilites will be made to enroll the remaining students as well.

Javadekar said in cases where facilities for Aadhaar cannot be created, the state governments will provide the unique numbers to the students. He also said that leakage of funds have seen a reduction ever since the mid-day meal scheme was linked to the Aadhaar.