Mangaluru: The government is making Aadhaar Card mandatory for all services and schemes in order to prevent misuse. However, 72-year-old Sarojamma from Bangerukatte in Madanthyaru village of Belthangady taluk, a chronic diabetic for the past 30 years, never knew that not having an Aadhaar card will make her life more miserable.
Sarojamma does not have a house and she and her son Subrahmanya (32), take shelter in bus stands and temples. Though her application for a house under the Basava Vasati Yojane (BVY) scheme has been sanctioned by the government, the proposal could not be processed just because she did not possess an Aadhaar card.

Subrahmanya has been carrying his ailing mother on his shoulder and running from pillar to post to get the house. On Thursday, he brought his mother to the deputy commissioner’s office here to know if the files related to the house have been processed or not. However, their visit was in vain and the duo had to take shelter at Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple.

On Friday, Subrahmanya carried his mother to the deputy commissioner’s office 9am. Over 25 journalists, who were waiting for a prominent meeting related to grievances of industries, noticed the elderly woman sleeping on her son’s lap on the corridors right in front of deputy commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil’s chamber.

Subrahmanya told the journalists that he has been visiting the Madanthyaru gram panchayat office, the Belthangady taluk office and the deputy commissioner’s office frequently even though his mother is not able to walk. “I have submitted several memorandum and chief minister’s office also has directed the district administration to provide a house under BVY to my mother. The government has sanctioned 2.75 cents of land in Bangerukatte, but a house has not been built since my mother does not have an Aadhaar Card,” Subrahmanya.

After a patient hearing, journalists brought the issue to the notice of additional deputy commissioner Kumar, who immediately directed the executive officer of Belthangady taluk to expedite the process related to the house sanctioned to Sarojamma.

Kumar said the district administration has already enrolled Sarojamma for Aadhaar and the process of linking her number with BVY will be done immediately. “We had made arrangements to get the biometric details of Sarojamma two months ago when she was admitted in District Wenlock Hospital. A special enrolment kit was sent to the hospital. Now she has been allotted an Aadhaar number and it be processed immediately. We will not insist the mother and son to spend money for constructing the house. Further, all the work will be taken up by us,” Kumar told reporters.

The ADC made arrangements for Sarojamma to be admitted at the Belthangady taluk hospital till house is built.