The government of Meghalaya has called upon citizens to link their Aadhaar numbers in order to receive benefits from central government schemes, referencing the Centre’s requirement for nearly all its programs. C&RD Minister Abu Taher Mondal indicated that if even one individual’s Aadhaar is not linked in a village with 100 job card holders, the entire village will be ineligible for benefits. The state government has instructed the Board of Directors (BDOs) to look into this issue as a temporary solution. The High Court of Meghalaya has noted that Aadhaar cards cannot serve as the exclusive form of identification for accessing government benefits, and has issued a temporary order mandating the administration to accept alternative forms of identification from those who are unable or choose not to provide their Aadhaar number. Mondal emphasized that the state government has never enforced Aadhaar linkage as a requirement for individuals to benefit from state schemes, although the Centre has made it compulsory for its own schemes.