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| PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), DECEMBER 5, 2023 (AGHN 14, 1945 SAKA) | ||
EXTRAORDINARY
Published by Authority
CHANDIGARH, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023 (AGRAHAYANA 14, 1945 SAKA)
GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION
Education Branch 7
NOTIFICATION
The 1st December, 2023
No. SED-EDU702/35/2021-5EDU7/I/734862/2023.–Whereas, the use of Aadhaar as an identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly in a convenient and seamless manner by obviating the need to produce multiple documents to prove one's identity.
And whereas, the Department of School Education (hereinafter referred to as the Department), is administering the Pre Matric Scholarship for SC students and others (Component-1) (hereinafter referred to as the Scheme) The objective of this Centrally Sponsored Scheme is to support through financial assistance parents of children belonging to Schedule Caste and other disadvantaged categories for education of their wards studying at Pre Matric stage so that their participation improve, the incidence of drop out- especially in this transition from the elementary to the senior secondary stage- is minimized, they perform better and have chance of progressing to the Post Matric stage of education, which is being implemented through National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and State. (hereinafter referred to as the Implementing Agency);
And whereas, under the said Scheme, Scholarship (hereinafter referred to as the benefit) is given to the Schedule Caste Students and Others (hereinafter referred to as the beneficieres), by the Implementing Agency as per the Scheme and extant guidelines issued there under;
And whereas, the aforesaid Scheme involves recurring expenditure incurred from the Consolidated Fund of Punjab;
Now, therefore, in pursuance of section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the government of Punjab hereby notifies the following, namely:-
(1) A child desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme shall hereby be required to furnish proof of possession of the Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.
(2) Any child desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme, whodoes not possess the Aadhaar number or, has not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, shall be required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment subject
( 5076 )PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), DECEMBER 5, 2023 (AGHN 14, 1945 SAKA) 5077 to the consent of his parents or guardians, beforeregistering for the Scheme provided that he is entitled to obtain Aadhaar as per section 3 of the said Act and such children shall visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre (list available at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website(www.uidai.gov.in) to get enrolled for Aadhaar.
As per regulation 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the Department through its Implementing Agency, is required to offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for the beneficiaries who are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar and in case there is no Aadhaar enrolment centre located in the respective Block or Taluka or Tehsil, the Department through its Implementing Agency shall provide Aadhaar enrolment facilities at convenient locations in coordination with the existing Registrars of UIDAI or by becoming a UIDAI Registrar themselves Provided that till the time Aadhaar is assigned to the child, the benefit under the Scheme shall be given to such children subject to production of the following documents, namely:-
(a) (i) if the child has been enrolled after attaining the age of five years (with biometrics collection), his Aadhaar Enrolment Identification slip,or of bio-metric update identification slip; and (b) Any one of the following documents, namely:-
(i) Birth Certificate; or Record of birth issued by the appropriate authority; or
(ii) School identity card, duly signed by the Principal of the school, containing parents' names; and (c) any one of the following documents as proof of relationship of the beneficiary with the parent or legal guardian as per the extant Scheme guidelines, namely:-
(i) Birth Certificate; or Record of birth issued by the appropriate authority; or
(ii) Ration Card; or
(iii) Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Card; or Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Card; or Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) Card; or (iv) Pension Card; or
(v) Army Canteen Card; or
(vi) Any Government Family Entitlement Card; or
(vii) any other document as specified by the Department:
Provided further that the above documents shall be checked by an officer specifically designated by the Department for that purpose.
2. In order to provide benefits to the beneficiaries under the Scheme conveniently, the Department through its Implementing Agency shall make all the required arrangements to ensure that wide publicity through media shall be given to the beneficiaries to make them aware of the said requirement.
3. In all cases, where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics of the beneficiaries or due to any other reason, the following remedial mechanisms shall be adopted, namely:-
(a) in case of poor fingerprint quality, iris scan or face authentication facility shall be adopted for authentication ,thereby the Department through its Implementing Agency shall make provisions for iris scanners or face authentication along with finger-print authentication for delivery of benefits in seamless manner;
(b) in case the biometric authentication through fingerprints or iris scan or face authentication is not successful, wherever feasible and admissible authentication by Aadhaar One Time Password or Time-based One-Time Password with limited time validity, as the case may be, shall be offered;
(c) in all other cases where biometric or Aadhaar One Time Password (OTP) or Time-based One-Time Password authentication is not possible, benefits under the scheme may be given on the basis of physical5078 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), DECEMBER 5, 2023 (AGHN 14, 1945 SAKA) Aadhaar letter whose authenticity can be verified through the Quick Response (QR) code printed on the Aadhaar letter and the necessary arrangement of QR code reader shall be provided at the convenient locations by the Department through its Implementing Agency.
4. Notwithstanding anything contained herein above, no child shall be denied benefit under the Scheme in case of failure to establish his identity by undergoing authentication, or furnishing proof of possession of Aadhaar number, or in the case of a child to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned, producing an application for enrolment. The benefit shall be given to him by verifying his identity on the basis of other documents as mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of the proviso of sub- paragraph (3) of paragraph 1, and where benefit is given on the basis of such other documents, a separate register shall be maintained to record the same, which shall be reviewed and audited periodically by the Department through its Implementing Agency.
5. This notification shall come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
KAMAL KISHOR YADAV IAS
Chandigarh
Secretary to Government of Punjab The 1st December, 2023
Department of School Education