UID: Punjab aims to become the first among equals

“We were waiting for something like UID to happen. So when it was launched,we approached the UIDAI with our proposal to begin the enrollment process simultaneously in all 20 districts. Though other states have launched it on pilot basis in some districts,we intend to complete the process in one go. It will totally reform our ration and LPG supply system by leaving no room for leakage and fake and duplicate beneficiaries by providing an unique identity to each and every citizen of the state,” said Punjab Food and Civil Supply Minister Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon.

And reforming its ration and LPG supply system is the reason why Punjab has made information about the two mandatory in the form to be filled in by citizens. “UID is mainly meant to facilitate e-governance. But it is for the states to decide which schemes they want to link it to. As the nodal agency executing this scheme in Punjab,the food and civil supply department has sought details about LPG connection and ration cards besides optional information on bank accounts and PAN to facilitate other schemes such as financial inclusion and electronic transfer of money for social security schemes such as pensions. We have also held a meeting with other departments on how to use the UID scheme,” Kairon added.

The department,which has already invited ‘request for qualification’ bids from firms enlisted with the UIDAI for outsourcing the process of capturing the biometrics of its citizens,has worked out the figures backwards for ensuring that the September deadline is met. “Each village and ward will have an enrollment centre for 10 to 20 days,depending on its population. Each such centre will have five to six machines,besides some mobile centres for people who cannot walk to the enrollment centres. We intend to aggressively complete the project and infrastructure will not be a problem as each machine can handle 50 to 80 people per day,” said Director,Food and Civil Supply,Alaknanada Dayal,who has been designated as Registrar,UID,Punjab.

For those who do not have any identity proof,the state has introduced a system. “The village lambardar or sarpanch or ward commissioner can introduce a person who has no identity proof and the UID will then become his most valuable identity,” Kairon said.