Over half of India’s population now has a unique identification or Aadhaar number. The Government has announced that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had issued 70 crore Aadhaar numbers, as on Tuesday. Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Authority on behalf of the Government and contains various biometrics, such as iris or fingerprints. The number serves as proof of identity and address anywhere in India. However, it does not confer citizenship.

A Government statement said nine States, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, had crossed 90 per cent Aadhaar coverage, while 16 had over 70 per cent coverage. The authority was recently assigned Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, with a combined population of about 34 crore. Till date, Aadhaar numbers have been issued to 8.93 crore residents in these States, which is 26 per cent of the target population, it said.

Currently, the authority is enrolling 10 lakh people a day with the help of over 25,000 camps and permanent centres. Now, its target is to enrol 15 lakh people a day.

Fresh impetus

In recent months, the Government has provided a fresh impetus to the UIDAI by linking Aadhaar to various entitlements and schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), MGNREGA, pensions, scholarships, direct benefit transfer, ration, passports, attendance system, among others.

Aadhaar facilitates “anytime, anywhere” online authentication of a resident through universal verification of one’s identity based on the demographic and biometric information of an individual, thereby eliminating any chances of duplication or fraud.

It is also a proof of identity and a proof of address for opening a bank account, as it meets the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms of Reserve Bank of India.

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