Issues with Aadhaar enrollment centers

We are the people from a small town named xyz, in state of Jharkhand. we are struggling to enroll for new Aadhaar and update the information in existing Aadhaar because there is no Aadhaar enrollment center in our town. The population of our town in approx eight thousand. Our town have post office and a banks as well; where hundred of people daily interacting and using their services. 

As we all aware that without Aadhaar a person seems he doesn't living in India; and if we are holding Aadhaar then we have to link everything means everything with our Aadhaar number. In case If we dont have Aadhaar; 

• We cant to able to open a bank account.
• We can't enroll for PAN, 
• We can't buy a SIM card. and many more 

We could analyse and think the difficult life of a common man without Aadhaar. Or a civilian's life become more difficult when there is no Aadhaar enrollment center in his/her village or town. In our town we don't have any Aadhaar enrollment center and nearest enrollment centers are too far; a person had to travel 20-30 kilometers to update their Aadhaar card and have to waste one or half of the his/her day; specially for those people who are working on daily wage. 

Hence I reuqest UIDAI to open a Aadhaar enrollment center either based on population or division. At least we should have a Aadhaar enrolment center on 10,000 people.

Also I would like to bring to your kind notice that some Aadhaar enrollment centers are charging willfulness amount to enroll for new Aadhaar or make any update in existing Aadhaar card; I heard from some people that they used to charge 150-250 rupees, which is completely unacceptable. But the maximum charge which UIDAI proposed is far less than the amount collected by the center. Visit https://www.uidai.gov.in/images/akr_policy_on_pricing_30082016.pdf to see the maximum fee to be collected from the residents for the services(enrollment, update and other services) provided by Registrar/EAs/Other Service Providers, w.e.f. January 01, 2017.

I think this is not only the story of our town, but this is the issue of every small town and village of India. 

I wrote this article and need your help and support to bring this issue in attention of UIDAI, and let UIDAI know how civilians are struggling with the service of UIDAI. I hope and expecting UIDAI will take necessary action and make their service easy and accessible for every citizen and take the restrict action against those centers who are charging more than proposed fees.

Image from @Aadhar official portal

References:

1. Maximum fee for Aadhaar service:UIDAI | https://www.uidai.gov.in/images/akr_policy_on_pricing_30082016.pdf

2. Aadhaar is compulsory for Bank accounts RBI | https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/rbi-makes-aadhaar-pan-mandatory-for-bank-accounts-kyc/story/275414.html 

3. Aadhaar not mandatory: Supreme Court of India | https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/features/story/march-31-aadhaar-deadline-to-link-it-with-mobile-bank-account-extended-indefinitely-everything-you-need-to-know-1188350-2018-03-13

4. Aadhar not required to avail the services: SC | https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aadhaar-not-mandatory-for-banking-phones-until-court-decides-on-validity-1823333  

Aadhaar Act 2016 | Aadhar act section 7

Subject:

 Notification for the use of the Aadhar under the section 7 of the Aadhaar (targeted delivery of the financial and the other subsidies, benefits and the services) Act, 2016 for targeted delivery of financial and other subsidies, benefit and services funded from there from the consolidated fund of India.

1. The use of Aadhaar is identifier to delivery of the services, benefits and subsidies simplify the Government delivery progresses, bring in good governance, transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly to them in a convenient and the hassle free manner. Aadhar obviated the need for producing the multiple documents to provide the identity, etc.

2. The provision of the Other night has come into effect from 12th of September 2016 and notifications to this effect has been published into the official Gazette. To give effect to the provision of the act, UIDAI has approved the regulation under the Aadhaar act which too have been notified in the official gazette. The copy of the act, rule and regulations made there under are available at the UIDAI website.

3. Section 7 of the act provides:

 The Central Government or, as the case may be, the State Government may, for the purpose of establishing identity of an individual as a condition for receipt of a subsidy, benefit or service for which the expenditure is incurred from, or the receipt therefrom forms part of, the Consolidated Fund of India, require that such individual undergo authentication, or furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or in the case of an individual to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned, such individual makes an application for enrolment: Provided that if an Aadhaar number is not assigned to an individual, the individual shall be offered alternate and viable means of identification for delivery of the subsidy, benefit or service.

4. Further, regulation 12 of the Aadhaar enrollment in the update regulations 2016 provides

Any central or state department or agency which requires an individuals to undergo the authentication or furnish proof of possession of the Aadhaar number as a conditions for receipt of any subsidy, benefit or services pursuant to section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, shall ensure enrollment of its beneficiaries who are yet to be enrolled, through the appropriate measure including coordination with registrars and setting up enrollment centers at convenient location for providing enrollment facilities by becoming a  registrar itself.

5. Therefore Central Ministries and state governments which plan to use the Aadhaar for the delivery of the services, benefits and the subsidies funded from the consolidated fund of India are required to issue a notification under the section 7 of the act. Section 7 of the act read with regulations 12 of the Aadhaar enrollment and update regulations 2016 is required at the notifications must include all of the following three points:

5.1 The notification cell mention the service, benefits or subsidies funded from the consolidated fund of India, which will require as a conditions precedent a beneficiary applications to undergo the Aadhaar authentication or furnish proof of position of Aadhaar number.

5.2 This notifications shall mention that in case of the applicant does not have the Aadhaar number, he will be required to make an applications for the Aadhar enrollment, if he is entitled to obtain one under the section 3 of the act and the arrangement made by the concerned central ministers or state governments as the case may be to provide the Aadhar enrollment facilities to him. Regulation 12 of the said regulations cast the responsibility of the ministers and their state governments or agencies under their control to facilitate and provider enrollment facilities at convenient location. In case there are no existing enrollment facility nearby, they are required to become UIDAI Registrar so that they can set up enrollment facilities themselves.

UIDAI has already empowered the several Central ministries and state departments or agencies under their jurisdictions to become its registrar and the undertake enrollment of their beneficiaries who are not enrolled for the Aadhaar. UIDAI I will continue to provide all technical as well as financial assistance for Aadhaar generation @ rupees 40 per Aadhaar and @ rupees 27 per Aadhaar generated for the children of the age less than 5 years through tablets computers. In case any ministry, state government department or agency under its control want to become the registrar, is may do so immediately by applying under the regulation 21 of the said the regulations and contact the regional offices of the UIDAI for this purpose.

5.3 The notifications and list the alternate identity documents and the verification methodologies to confirm the Identity of the beneficiary applicant to whom Aadhaar number has not been assigned for delivery of benefits, subsidies, or services, till such time Aadhaar number is assigned.

References:

[1] https://uidai.gov.in/images/circular_section_7_of_aadhaar_act_15092016.pdf

[2] https://uidai.gov.in/images/the_aadhaar_act_2016.pdf