63 lakh Aadhaar cards issued, process begins to cover rest

Even as the floods in September last year have delayed the process of compiling biometric data of residents, the government has issued 63 lakh Aadhaar cards in the state so far. The authorities have started a fresh exercise so that the remaining population of the state are issued Aadhaar cards.

“Due to the floods, there was a delay. But now, we have so far collected biometric data of 80 lakh residents and issued 63 lakh Aadhaar cards. We have started Aadhaar seeding process and trained enumerators, who will be conducting a fresh door-to-door survey so that the remaining population gets the cards,” said Joint Chief Principal Census Officer CS Sapru.

Asked about complaints regarding mistakes in the cards already issued, Sapru said those would be rectified during the Aadhaar seeding process. “Necessary corrections and update of details will be taken care of during Aadhaar seeding. Our target is to cover the entire population,” he said.

Sapru said the enumerators, during a training programme held here on Friday, were told to check enrolment, date of birth, spelling of name and Urdu version of the entries during the survey so as to update the National Population Register.

After the completion of compiling the biometric data, Aadhaar cards are issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.

The much-touted Aadhaar project was announced in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2010. Then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had become the first person to get himself enrolled for the issuance of the card.

Besides easing the process of passport issuance and transfer of cash subsidies, the Aadhaar card will help the government effectively monitor various programmes and schemes, besides checking pilferage in the entitlements of welfare scheme.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had passed directions to the authorities concerned to accelerate and complete enrolment of all residents of the country by this December.