Kerala Government Mandates Aadhaar for Maternity Benefit Scheme

The Kerala Government issued a significant notification on November 26^th 2024, regarding the Maternity Benefit Scheme administered by the Labour and Skills Department, which will now require beneficiaries to link their Aadhaar for seamless service delivery. This move is intended to simplify the process, reduce delays, and ensure that maternity benefits reach eligible women directly and efficiently.

Key Points of the Kerala Government’s Notification

1. Aadhaar Requirement for Maternity Benefit:
   • All women eligible for maternity benefits under the scheme must now provide proof of Aadhaar or undergo Aadhaar authentication.
   • Women without Aadhaar are required to apply for Aadhaar enrolment. Enrolment centers will be available to assist women, including in remote areas.
2. Alternatives for Women Without Aadhaar:
   • Women who do not have Aadhaar can still access maternity benefits. They need to provide documents such as:
     • Bank/Post Office Passbook with Photo
     • PAN Card
     • Passport
     • Voter ID
     • MGNREGA Card
     • Driving License, etc.
   • Along with these documents, women will need to present an Aadhaar enrolment slip as proof of their application for Aadhaar.
3. Awareness and Publicity:
   • The Labour and Skills Department will ensure wide publicity of the new requirement. Beneficiaries will be informed through media campaigns about how to link Aadhaar or enrol for it.
4. Remedial Measures for Authentication Failures:
   • To address biometric authentication issues, such as poor fingerprint quality, alternative methods like iris scans and face recognition will be offered.
   • If biometric authentication fails, Aadhaar One-Time Password (OTP) will be used to complete the process.
   • In cases where authentication cannot be done through biometrics or OTP, physical Aadhaar letters can be used, with authenticity verified through a QR code.
5. Exception Handling Mechanism:
   • The Department will follow the exception handling mechanism outlined by the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Mission to ensure that no eligible woman is denied her benefits due to technical issues or other exceptional circumstances.

Impact of the Aadhaar Requirement

• Efficiency: Aadhaar integration will streamline the process of delivering maternity benefits, reducing administrative delays.
• Transparency: Linking Aadhaar helps ensure that only eligible beneficiaries receive the benefits, reducing the possibility of fraud.
• Seamless Service Delivery: With Aadhaar as the central point of authentication, benefits will be directly credited to beneficiaries, reducing the need for multiple documents.

Effective Date : November 26^th 2024