State urges housing societies, companies to apply for setting up UID registration centres

To boost UID registration among middle class urbanites, the state has urged the housing societies and corporate offices to apply for setting up of booths at their premises.

Though the state had received many brownie points for its successful drive during the initial phase of the project, the second phase of the registration that kicked off in May was sluggish with authorities struggling to reach out to the middle and higher middle class to enroll for identification.

Officials said that in the first phase almost 50 per cent of the 4 crore registration were from slums. Maximum registrations have been in Mumbai — 80 lakh, though the percentage is low if compared to the total population of the city. Here even children under the age of 5 have been registered, while the maximum registration is among youth. (see box).

The Nandan Nilekani-led UID project aims at providing identification for each resident and would be used to give efficient welfare services. The scheme was launched in the state by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairpareson Sonia Gandhi in Nandurbar district in 2010. The UID card, also known as Aadhar card has a 12-digit number and links to the demographic details such as bank account, iris match and biometric fingerprint scanning.

About 30 housing societies and 5-6 companies have approached the UID office to set up such booths. The housing societies and companies have to send a request to the UID office via email and the concerned agency will contact them for follow-up. Buildings in Bhakti Pke iGate and The Indian Air Force in Pune have requested for such booths. "From our booths, residents or employees can enroll themselves for the UID card," said Rajesh Aggarwal, principal secretary, IT.

The Maharashtra government recently decided that driving licences must have UID numbers and schools seeking government aid should specify the UID card numbers for its students.

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