CM Mamata welcomes Supreme Court verdict

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling that Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for welfare schemes. Ms Banerjee, who is on a five-day tour to North Bengal, told reporters in Jalpaiguri that she had always said that Aadhaar should not be made compulsory until all the people across the country get Aadhaar cards. “Only registering names for Aadhaar is not enough, the Central government has to first ensure that it reaches the members of every single household. How can be people deprived of social schemes when the Centre has been unable to hand over Aadhaar cards to all?” Ms Banerjee questioned.

Sources in the state secretariat further informed that the state will again write to the Centre informing it that Aadhaar should not be made mandatory for Khadya Sathi scheme under which the state government gives rice and wheat at `2 per kg and also in the mid-day meal scheme.

When questioned about the child trafficking issue in North Bengal in recent times, Ms Banerjee said, “Nobody will be spared if he/she is found involved in child trafficking racket. Strong action will be taken as per the law,” she said.

Ms Banerjee will hold an administrative meeting in Jalpaiguri and will follow it up with a public meeting at sports complex on Tuesday. On Wednesday, she will hold an administrative meeting involving Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts at Pintel Village.

On Thursday, she will be declaring Mirik, a popular tourist destination, as a separate sub-division.

Through her programmes in North Bengal she will be flagging off seven long-distance buses of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC), inaugurating a women police station and a residential complex for sub-inspectors. The newly-constructed building of Banarhat police station and barrack will also be inaugurated by her.