CHIEF SECRETARY DIRECTS TO FOCUS ON THE COVERAGE OF CHILDREN UNDER AADHAAR
Punjab ranks 6th in Aadhaar enrolment
Chandigarh – In order to review the progress of various activities under Aadhaar Project in the State the meeting of UID Implementation Committee was held today under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua.
Principal Secretary, Food Civil Supplies Rahul Bhandari, informed that Punjab stands 6thin India in Aadhaar coverage. The focus is on the coverage of children where the coverage is only 52%.
Director, Food Civil Supplies cum Registrar, UID, Punjab Ghanshyam Thori made the presentation to the committee. It was informed that the enrolment activities are functional in sewa kendras, schools and anganwadis. It was also mentioned that nearly 80 thousand children were enrolled for Aadhaar in schools and anganwadis in last three months using the targeted drive. It was decided to start Aadhar-linked Birth Registration in the State to minimize the future backlog of enrolments of children. The committee approved the purchase of new tablets to start enrolments in Govt. Hospitals at District and Block levels. Additionally, 350 kits are alsobeing procured for sewa kendras to manage the high footfall for Aadhaar enrolments.
DDG, UIDAI Regional Office Chandigarh Bhavna Garg informed that the adult population of the country is already covered. Now, UIDAI intends to keep the new enrolments in check. Thus, as a measure, it has been decided to restrict the new enrolment facilities for adults to only 10% locations. Additionally, the verification process has been introduced to verify the eligibility of the resident for Aadhaar. The committee also decided that the New Enrolment facility will be made available in at least 100 sewa kendras including sewakendras at district headquarters and sub-divisions.
Director Food Supplies has been appointed as the State Nodal Officer for the Aadhaar verification process in the State. District-level monitoring committees under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners of the Districts have been constituted to monitor the Aadhaar project activities at the District level.
It was also informed that UIDAI recently notified that residents who haven’t updated their Aadhaar in last 10 years are required to submit their documents at Aadhaar enrolment centres nearby. State Government will start an awareness campaign in this regard.
DDG, UIDAI further informed that the departments shall perform online Aadhaar authentication while accepting Aadhaar from the citizens for Govt. services. In case online verification is not feasible, offline verification using the secured QR code printed on the Aadhaar card or Aadhaar letter shall be done. The online authentication and offlineverification of Aadhaar will help in preventing fraud and save residents as well as Government authorities and financial institutions from unwarranted troubles. The committeedirected the departments to use online authentications and offline verification while accepting Aadhaar from the citizens for Govt. services.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Rural Development K Siva Prasad, Principal Secretary Planning Vikas Pratap, Principal Secretary Governance Reforms Tejveer Singh and Principal Secretary Local Government VP Singh.
