Mysuru: The lack of birth certificates has left 166 tribal children studying in govt-run Ashrama schools in Chamarajanagar district without Aadhaar cards, raising concerns over their access to welfare benefits.Activists allege that despite assurances from the district administration about conducting a special Aadhaar enrolment drive, no tangible progress has been made. They point out that several of the affected children are now aged 13 or 14 but still do not possess Aadhaar cards.Officials from the tribal welfare department, however, denied any lapses on their part and said efforts were ongoing to facilitate Aadhaar enrolment for the children.Nagendra Ganiga Mangala, president of the Adivasi Hitarakshana Samiti in Chamarajanagar, said children from the Soliga community were the worst affected. He noted that students studying in Classes I to VII in state-run Ashrama schools lack birth certificates, which are mandatory for Aadhaar enrolment. As Aadhaar is required to access govt welfare schemes, he said these students were being deprived of benefits.“Earlier, most deliveries took place in haadis (hamlets), leaving no official records of dates of birth. Without this document, children cannot be enrolled for Aadhaar. In many cases, even the parents do not have Aadhaar cards, compounding the problem,” he said.He added that enrolling children without birth certificates requires a court order and appealed to govt agencies to extend legal and procedural support to tribal families. “Approaching courts is difficult for them without assistance,” he said.Yogesh T, director of the tribal welfare department, said the issue was not confined to Chamarajanagar district alone. “We have held meetings with officials of the Unique Identification Authority of India to find a solution. The department is working on obtaining bulk court orders to help tribal families secure Aadhaar cards,” he said.He added that special provisions had been made to assist tribal families in attending court proceedings, keeping their financial constraints in mind.
