Showcasing a clear example how the centre sponsored schemes have been being spoiled due to the inefficient, corrupted, local administrations, and justifying why the Aadhaar has been made mandatory to avail the benefits of some major schemes aimed at the welfare of the society, the authorities, with the help of the Aadhaar, have detected nearly 4.4 lakh ‘ghost student beneficiaries’ of the mid-day meal scheme when it has done a detailed scrutiny in three backward states- Jharkhand, Manipur and Andhra Pradesh. Under the mid-day meal scheme sponsored by the government, the public schools will provide free lunch on all working days to the students who are studying in class 1st to 8th.
Earlier, when the government announced the plan to make Aadhaar mandatory to avail the mid-day meal, it received strong flak, citing that it might affect the poor beneficiaries adversely. Later, the government authorities announced that no student would be deprived of having the mid-day meal due to his inability to present the Aadhaar number or card. At the time when the government has smelled a setback as day by day strong criticisms have been triggered opposing the new policy, the new crackdown on the ‘ghost student beneficiaries’ has come as a rescue to the government’s stand on the issue. It is said that more such ‘ghost student beneficiaries’ will be detected once the authorities finish similar scrutiny conducting in other states. As per the latest information, at least 10.03 crore students out of 13.16 crore students studying in the public schools across the country get the free lunch at their school. Anyway, it is a happiness to know that Aadhaar has helped the government to seal several potholes situated in the LPG schemes, MNREGA schemes and pension schemes. Meanwhile, experts warn that the new policy should not deprive any genuine beneficiary of availing the benefits he deserves.
vignesh
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