The Ministry of Defence has directed that veterans and their dependents must use Aadhaar-based authentication to obtain membership of the Ex‑servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and to access a range of welfare measures administered by the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB). Two notifications issued this month by the Department of Ex‑servicemen Welfare (DESW) set out the new requirement.
What the notifications require
The documents state that an individual seeking benefits under the named schemes will be required to either complete Aadhaar authentication or provide proof of possession of an Aadhaar number. Where a person has not yet been assigned an Aadhaar number, the notifications instruct them to make an application for enrolment.
“An individual desirous of availing of the said benefit under the said scheme shall be required to undergo authentication, or furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number,” the notifications state
The notifications list the principal activities for which Aadhaar credentials will now be required. These include:
- grant of ECHS membership on retirement;
- access to ECHS facilities at polyclinics, service hospitals and empanelled hospitals;
- processing of claims related to ECHS beneficiaries;
- availing financial assistance from the Raksha Mantri Ex‑Servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF).
Administration and enrolment measures
The notifications say that the expenditure for ECHS and RMEWF is met from the Consolidated Fund of India and that administrative rules require beneficiaries to possess an Aadhaar number. In line with the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the KSB — which operates under DESW — has been asked to ensure enrolment or updating of Aadhaar details for beneficiaries who remain unenrolled.
To fulfil this, the KSB is to take appropriate measures, including coordinating with registrars, establishing enrolment centres at convenient locations, or providing enrolment facilities by becoming a registrar itself.
Temporary arrangements and identity verification
The notifications make clear that applicants who have applied for Aadhaar but are yet to receive a number may continue to access benefits in the interim by establishing their identity through available documents and procedures specified in the notifications.
| Benefit or function | Aadhaar requirement |
|---|---|
| ECHS membership on retirement | Authentication or proof of Aadhaar |
| Access to polyclinics, service hospitals, empanelled hospitals | Authentication required |
| Processing of ECHS claims | Authentication required |
| Financial assistance from RMEWF | Authentication required |
The notifications also place an administrative responsibility on the KSB to assist beneficiaries who are not yet enrolled in Aadhaar. That support may include setting up enrolment centres or acting as a registrar to enable on‑site Aadhaar enrolment and updates.
Veterans and dependents who require clarification are likely to approach local ECHS centres, polyclinics or KSB offices for guidance; the notifications themselves indicate the procedural route of either completing authentication or registering for Aadhaar before benefits can be processed under the amended rules.
