Srinagar will have to wait for Aadhaar cards

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 20

Even as the Centre is mulling to make Aadhaar cards mandatory for acquiring a passport and transfer of cash subsidies, the process of compiling biometric data required for issuance of the multi-purpose card is yet to start in the J&K’s summer capital.

The authorities cite recent September floods the reason behind the delay, but are planning to kickstart the process by the first week of February.

They also claim that the process is nearing completion in other districts of the state where people have also started receiving the cards.

“The process is nearing completion in other 21 districts of the state…in Srinagar the process got delayed due to the floods,” Joint Chief Principal Census Officer CS Saproo told The Tribune.

However, he said the process would start in Srinagar city soon. “Last week, we held a meeting and currently we are preparing the list of enumerator. After that, the process will start in the next 15 days,” Saproo said.

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

The much-touted Aadhaar project was announced in J&K in August 2010 and the then Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, had become the first person to get himself enrolled for the issuance of the card.

As per a UIDAI official, the unique identification project was initially conceived by the Planning Commission as an initiative that would provide identification for each resident across the country and would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery of welfare services.

The Aadhaar card will also help the government to effectively monitor various programs and schemes.

Quote: The Aadhaar card process is nearing completion in other 21 districts of the state. In Srinagar, the process got delayed due to the floods- Joint Chief Principal Census Officer CS Saproo