Nandapur/Padua: As many as 160 residents in 14 villages under Khinbar panchayat under Nandapur block in Koraput district have warned to seek Aadhaar enrollment in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as they are unable to obtain Aadhaar cards, leaving them deprived of various state and Central government welfare schemes.
The residents warned that if the issue remains unresolved, they may seek Aadhaar enrollment in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to access welfare benefits there.
The affected villages, located along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border in Nandapur block, have been deprived of benefits related to health care, nutrition, education, subsidised food grains, old-age and disability pensions, agriculture sops and waged employment due to the lack of Aadhaar registration, residents said.
Villagers said Khainbar panchayat is about 55 kilometres from the Nandapur block headquarters, and each visit to the Aadhaar enrolment centre costs more than Rs 300.
They alleged that officials require birth certificates for Aadhaar enrollment, but local health centres are unable to issue the documents because many births were never officially registered.
Residents said they have made repeated visits to government offices without success, incurring significant expenses in the process.
Out of growing frustration, villagers warned that if the state government and Koraput district administration fail to facilitate Aadhaar enrollment, they will seek Aadhaar registration in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, where the nearest village and school are only about 1.5 kilometres away, and avail themselves of government benefits from the neighbouring state instead.
Khinbar panchayat was carved out in 2018 from parts of Chatua, Padua, Hatibari, Nandaka and Raising panchayats.
Before its formation, villages were attached to different sub-health centres in these areas where difficult terrain and poor connectivity prevented many families from registering births and deaths.
Villagers also alleged negligence by officials at sub-health centres and Anganwadi centres in maintaining birth and death records, a problem they say still persists.
Without birth certificates, residents have been unable to enroll for Aadhaar.
According to villagers, 37 people in Panua, 29 in Dakaripadar, 27 in Majhaguda, 19 in Ghatiguda, eight in Karanjaguda, three in Kona and more than 50 people in eight other villages remain without Aadhaar cards.
Those affected include children, adolescents, youth, senior citizens, widows and people with disabilities.
The lack of Aadhaar has prevented many from being added to ration cards, depriving them of subsidised food grains.
Residents also said they are unable to access nutrition programmes, education and health services, housing benefits, income certificates and social security pensions for elderly people, widows, unmarried women and persons with disabilities.
Villagers said they have repeatedly approached the Nandapur block administration and the Koraput district administration but their issues remain unresolved.
They urged the state government, along with the health, revenue, block and district authorities, to conduct a coordinated drive to issue birth certificates and Aadhaar cards to all eligible residents.
Nandapur Block Development Officer (BDO) Durga Prasad Dora and Tehsildar Debabrata Maharana said the district administration would coordinate with the Health department and Aadhaar authorities to facilitate enrollment for all eligible residents.
