55.5 percent of Nagaland state’s population, or 12,28,143 people have already enrolled for Aadhaar. This was informed in a press statement from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI), Regional Office, Guwahati.
This comes despite protests registered by certain sections of Naga civil society and Naga national groups on the Government of India’s move to make Aadhaar enrolment mandatory.
The UIAI statement informed that Aadhaar enrolment process in Nagaland is going on smoothly in all districts. “Keeping in view of the importance of Aadhaar number, the State Government is making rigorous effort to enrol the balance population at the earliest,” it added.
In a bid to cover the left-out villagers/residents living in remotest part of Nagaland, the District Administration had earlier conducted enrolment through Camp-mode to facilitate Aadhaar enrolment in order to ensure sweep enrolment. Apart from this, the UIAI informed that Aadhaar Enrolment/Update Centres have been established at PECs (Permanent Enrolment Centre) i.e. DC offices, ADC offices, SDO offices etc so that it would be convenient for the local people to easily get enrolled for Aadhaar.
Recently, the Department of Financial Services has instructed all the Scheduled Commercial Banks to set up Aadhaar Enrolment/Update Centres in 1 out of their 10 branches. Already, the State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank & Syndicate Bank have set-up Aadhaar Enrolment/Update Centres at their respective Dimapur branch. Other banks are also in process to start Aadhaar enrolment soon. Meanwhile, officials of the Department of Post have also been trained by UIDAI Regional Office for undertaking Aadhaar enrolment. They are also expected to start Aadhaar Enrolment/Updation in their respective Post Office branches.
The UIAI informed that as per Section 7 of Aadhaar Act 2016, the Central Government or State Government may use Aadhaar as an “identifier for delivery of various subsidy/benefit/services to the residents for which the expenditure is incurred from or the receipt there from forms part of, the Consolidated Fund of India.”
The UIAI meanwhile asked those who have not enrolled for Aadhaar to go to their nearby Aadhaar Enrolment Centre. “Enrolment for Aadhaar is free of cost for all residents. To locate one’s nearest Aadhaar Enrolment Centre, one can access- https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/easearch.aspx. For more information, one can contact on 0361-2228080 or Toll free No. 1947,” it notified. (Agencies)