All you need to know about AADHAAR; PS: you do not need to panic or pay

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Since last few months, residents of Barak Valley are spending sleepless nights, reason? Enrolment of names in National Register of Citizens. Well, for them comes another headache and that’s AADHAAR card. Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra has already rejected a plea to extend the deadline to link AADHAAR. The deadline to link AADHAAR with various core services is March 31, 2018 and that has created a lot of panic in Barak Valley because the proceedings have just started in the region.

Rumours are spreading thick and fast, the hush around is that if you do not link AADHAAR before March 31, 2018 the account will get blocked or if you do not have a bank account you won’t get an AADHAAR, people are even saying making a bank account is compulsory to get an AADHAAR and there are banks which are using AADHAAR to get more customers…

To all the citizens of Barak Valley we appeal, “PLEASE DO NOT PANIC” at the same time we request news channels and daily broadsheets to be a little careful in choosing the headlines they broadcast or print. Now let’s get into the details…

What is AADHAAR?

It is a 12 digit unique identification number which one needs to mandatorily link with six core services: Bank Account, Liquid Petroleum Gas account, PAN Card, Voter ID Card, Ration Card, Mobile number. Once the citizen gets the 12-digit number there are various means through which one can link AADHAAR with the mandatory services. AADHAAR linkage is a very simple process and have both online and offline options, so citizens won’t have to go through the hassle of spending long hours of standing in line, they can do it through calls and SMS too.

As per November 30, 2017 report about 1.19 billion Indians have been issued an AADHAAR number. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), government’s nodal agency, collects the documents and biometrics and issues the 12-digit number. UIDAI is a body that functions under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. AADHAAR came into action in 2009, the name and logo was designed under the then chairman of UIDAI, Nandan Nilekani’s, (co-founder Infosys) supervision.

Do you need money to make AADHAAR?

NO, government of India has hired many agencies and are paying them their wages; a citizen applying for AADHAAR need not pay a single Rupee. If someone ask for money, file a complaint in this link, https://pgportal.gov.in/ and government of India will address it. Please don’t pay any money to anybody… For change of biometrics or demographics there is a charge of Rs 25 + 18 per cent GST that one needs to pay.

Is 31 March deadline to make AADHAAR card?

NO, please do not panic here… March 31 is the last day to link your AADHAAR card with various core services mentioned above. There will be new-borns who will take birth after March 31, AADHAAR is like PAN card or Voter ID card or any other government issued document, one can apply for it when needed; it is a continuous process. Mr Pradeep Paul, Assistant General Manager, STATE BANK of INDIA, Silchar region in an interview with Doordarshan, clarified, that if KYC (Know Your Customer) documents are submitted properly then the bank account won’t be blocked after March 31, even if the AADHAAR is not linked because enrolment process is just at the initial stage in Assam. So, no reason to panic, fight or try finding a backdoor entry.

Where can people get their AADHAAR done?

So far, five SBI Branches (viz. Silchar ,New Silchar ,Hailakandi ,Badarpur and  Karimganj), one Branch of DENA bank and one branch of Allahabad Bank have taken up the process of Enrolment in Barak Valley as per Government Instruction. At present Bank authorities are entrusted with the task of providing infrastructure to the Authorised Agencies, taking care of the authenticity of Documents submitted along with the enrolment form and overall supervision. Banks are now accepting the forms of their customers (including family members) only. In a phased manner the name of other enrolment centres of various Banks and Post Offices will be notified; meaning, customers who do not have an account with SBI, Allahabad Bank and Dena Bank will have to wait for the time being.

What are the documents needed to get an AADHAAR done?

There are four areas for which needs to be proofed with an authorised document and only the AADHAAR application will get processed following which the 12-digit unique identification number will be generated.

1. POI: Proof of Identity: There are 18 government supported documents and one needs to provide ANY ONE OF THE SUPPORTED proof of identity. These are Passport, PAN Card, Ration/PDS card, Voter ID, Driving License, Government ID cards or Service identity cards issued by PSU, Photo ID issued by recognised educational institution, (NIT, Assam University, Silchar Medical College), Pensioner Photo ID card among others.
2. POR: Proof of Residence: Any identity card or document that has address mentioned in it.
3. DoB: One need to submit a document which is an age proof of the applicant. Here it needs to be cleared if one provides PAN Card as a proof of identity; the he or she does not need to furnish a DOB as PAN Card has the date of birth mentioned in it.
4. POR: Proof of Relationship: In case the member of the family does not have an authorised POI or POA then he or she needs to provide a relationship proof documents which establishes the relationship with the head of the family.

The documentation has confused many citizens of Barak Valley and is one of the biggest concerns; Pal in the interview with Doordarshan addressed all the issues and provided easy solutions. If only one member of the family possess a bank account then AADHAR will be issued to rest of the family members/dependents too, provided they are able to furnish a proof of relationship. It is not necessary for everyone to open a new account; Pal said for State Bank of India consumers he will make special arrangements to ensure that the family members of the account holders are also able to attain AADHAAR number. The banker said the documents needed to attain an AADHAAR is far lesser compared to the documentation needed to open a bank account.

Biometrics! What is it?

One need to submit his/her biometrics data for UIDAI to know the individual better. There is a machine that will scan applicant’s all 10 finger prints, the service provider will scan the iris with a camera and that’s all. It is a 10 minutes procedure and needs no needling or any pathological proceedings.

What about kids below 5?

Government of India has made special arrangements for kids between 1-5 years old. The AADHAAR issued to the under 5s are called Baal AADHAR, they do not need to submit their biometrics and the card given to them is blue in colour. Pal suggested that, one should not rush kids now in the crowd instead should wait for the rush to get over and then apply. Also, if father or mother has an AADHAAR enrolled then the documentation to enroll the child is far easier, so we suggest waiting at least for the time being.

Banks are asking to open account, is it compulsory?

NO, it is not, Dena bank, one of the centres in Barak Valley is allegedly asking people to open a new account and only then the bank will process AADHAAR request. Well, it’s not a government norm and totally illegal. But Dena is a new entrant in this market and hence they are using AADHAAR as a trump card to attain more customers. Pal was asked this question and he preferred to dodge it with a passing statement, “See at the end of the day banks are also business entities and they too need customers…” As far as law is concerned No, one need not open an account.

How much time will take for Barak Valley to get AADHAAR?

Pal in the interview gave an estimate that one service provider can only take 30 applications a day, in Silchar branch there is one machine so 30 a day and New Silchar has 3 machines which means about 90 a day. This is how it happens, per day the bank will accept 30 applications and give a token to each 30 applicant. The token will have a time and date mentioned on it and the applicant needs to go back to the enrollment centre (branch) on the date and time mentioned in the token number.

Overall, the system followed in Bombay is followed in Barak Valley too, the standards are same, the machines are same and the procedure is same too. AADHAAR has already become world’s largest biometric ID system, while it is strongly questioned and argued it has its benefits too. For the first time there will be an ID card/document which both rickshaw puller and the richest man in India will have at their disposal.

Let us all patiently help authorities to smoothly process AADHAAR and not panic. Let us not loose our sleep over AADHAAR