The idea of enumerating and registering all Indian nationals properly through generating biometric data was actually conceived by the previous UPA Government. Considerable debate ensued in social media about the fecundity of the project. Actually, in our country we did not have a uniform identification mechanism that would enjoy legal credibility.
For identification either the passport or the election card was accepted as valid document of national credential. But everybody did not possess a passport or election card. As such, people were handicapped in proving their identity or submitting any valid document if it was needed to accompany an application or written request. This was not in conformation with the system adopted by most of the countries in the world. Thus after prolonged debate and discussion, it was agreed to create an agency now known as the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI), with the agenda of issuing Aadhar Card/National Population Registration (NPR) Card to Indian nationals which would be a genuine document of their identity and provide numerous facilities to the holder like , job, ration card, gas/water/power connection, passport, purchase of any property, vehicle, open bank account, prepare any category or other certificate, take admission in school-college, effect bank transactions, prepare Pan Card, draw any sort of pension/stipend or take any subsidy from the Government or benefit of many Government schemes. Country’s further planning will depend on the data prepared by the Registrar General of India.
The scheme was started in J&K in November 2012 but actual work was commenced in January 2013. An elaborate structure was raised for the purpose and in our State 344 Public Enrolment Centres (PECs) were operating under the supervision of Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), which had hired two private agencies, Compac Info Technologies and Chinar. These centres had been established to facilitate the general public to generate their Aadhar Cards, make corrections or update their already generated Cards. About 688 enumerators had been deployed for the task. This notwithstanding, Registrar General of India abruptly issued an order a couple of days back directing the State Government to stop the operation of all the Permanent Enrolment Centres established in the offices of Tehsildars, SDMs, Deputy Commissioners and the Municipal Committee offices across the State and stop the operation. The order does not make any mention of the reason why operation has been suddenly stopped in J&K State. However, informed circles say that owing to some technical snag in the use of Urdu software for scripting data, the scheme has been stopped. Whatever the reason, the decision has come unexpectedly. The fact is that the State Government had requested the Home Ministry to initiate the project in J&K and as such, the decision of suddenly stopping the work has come as a surprise. It has to be understood that although 70 lakh people have been issued Aadhar Cards yet there are thousands of people of the State who have not been able to obtain the cards for one or the other reason. Those who are serving outside the State, or have temporarily taken up some business outside the State or thousands of students of the State who are undergoing studies in various institutions in the country could not get their cards made and would need time to do so. They cannot be deprived of the unique facility. However, Head, NPR J&K State, has stated that the mode has been changed as the biometrics for the Aadhar cards will be generated by the teams after visiting the concerned areas which have been left out or where a good number of people have been left out. The areas have been identified and cluster wise operation will be done in next phase.
In final analysis, Aadhar Card is a valuable property for every Indian national because as already said, it is what one may call panacea for all diseases. It has tremendous utility for the owner and no discrimination can be made in issuing the card to Indian national in whatever State they reside or work. Enumeration of population supplements the task of the Census Department and it will also prove very useful in planning the development of regions and sub-regions in the country and the State. We are hopeful that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI), which has already taken up the project in J&K, will withdraw the order of stopping the operation and resume the task without loss of time and complete the enumeration and issuance of smart cards within shortest possible time.
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