Mumbai: The Aadhaar card linkage will not be mandatory for leprosy patients to avail various government subsidies in Maharashtra, social justice minister Rajkumar Badole said in the Assembly today.

Replying to a debate on the issue raised by Prashant Thakur (BJP) and others during the Question Hour, Badole said the government has issued instructions in this connection to district authorities.

“All districts have been instructed that leprosy patients do not need to get the Aadhaar card linkage since they have a difficulty in giving fingerprints,” he said.

However, they can’t be left out of the government subsidies just because they do not have the Aadhaar card, he said.

“Hence, the government wants that leprosy patients be excluded from the Aadhaar linkage. A proposal to this effect will be sent to the Centre,” the minister said.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued to individuals and is mandatory to avail the benefits of certain government welfare schemes.

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