Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 20: The Unique Identification Auth-ority of India (UIAI), under the direct control of Registrar General of India, has abruptly closed down all types of Enrollment Centres (ECs) for generating NPR Smart Cards (Aadhar Cards) in the Jammu and Kashmir State.
The sources connected with the operation of NPR Smart Cards in the State told the Excelsior that Registrar General of India, has asked the State Government to stop the operation of all the Permanent Enrolment Centres as well as all other type of field centres established in the offices of Tehsildars, SDMs, Deputy Commissioners and the Municipal Committee offices etc across the State. These centres had been established to facilitate the general public to generate their Aadhar Cards, make corrections or updation of their already generated Aadhar Cards.
While the State Government’s IT department claimed to have issued Aadhar Cards to about 90% people in the State, many people in the State have yet been left out. Moreover, there are still many such people who are working outside the State, some gone for higher studies outside and also serving in the security forces away from their homes. Such people are yet needed to be provided this facility through such permanent centres so that desirous people could contact those centers for generating their cards.
Sources said that 344 such ECs were operating in the State under the supervision of Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), which had hired two private agencies Compac Info Technologies and M/s Chinar. About 700 enumerators had been engaged for the task and two machines were installed at each centre for the generation of bio-metric data of the individuals. They have also been rendered jobless with this abrupt stoppage of operartion by the Government.
The sudden decision of the Registrar General of India conveyed to the State Government to stop the operation, at the point when the process had reached a crucial stage, is unfortunate. In Urdu version earlier, there were massive corrections to be rectified and the updation work was also going on smoothly but with this decision of the Government, many people of the State are facing problem.
A company official claimed that no prior notice was served to them and the Government abruptly asked to close down the centres. 32 such centres were operating in Jammu district at present. At least 25 to 30 people on an average were still reporting to the centres for preparing new Aadhar cards. The Government has yet to make payments worth about Rs 2 crore to the hired agencies.
The first ever major exercise under the direct control of Registrar General of India to generate 90 lakh National Population Register Smart Cards was started in J&K in November 2012 but actual work was commenced in April 2013. The agencies involved in the operation provided extension for the completion of the task on several occasions. It was started with the holding of camps under the control of Deputy Commissioners/ SDMs and Tehsildars etc for generating NPR Smart Cards and collecting bio-metrics through moveable machines at different locations.
But the second module of PECs was introduced later to facilitate the people and also for ensuring corrections and perform updation works. But that process was stopped some time in April this year. Then again Central Government realizing the sufferings of the people and after the intervention of J&K Chief Secretary allowed operation of the centres. But unfortunately hardly four days back, these centres have again been stopped without assigning any valid reason by the authorities. The people who are in dire need of such cards and also intend to get correction in names, date of birth, residence etc are facing hardships.
Joint Director (Census Operations, J&K), NPR J&K State head Surinder Bhat when contacted said that UIAI had hired two vendors for the purpose of generating Aadhar Cards in the J&K State. The contract is already over with previous terms and conditions. They were also given extension in this regard.
Bhat further said that Registrar General of India is going to review the contract and introduce new terms and conditions. The operation has been stopped only for this purpose in J&K. He disclosed that the matter is under active consideration of Govt of India and it is going to be resumed shortly. When asked for the time limit Bhat said it may take 10-12 days or maximum a fortnight for the resumption of this work. He said the updation work was already stopped since April. It will also be commenced by introducing some fixed amount for making necessary corrections etc.
It is pertinent to mention here that this card will be the ‘lifeline’ of any citizen and for his/ her unique identification as Indian national with unique number. On the basis of this card, a citizen will be entitled for any benefit including, job, ration card, gas/water/power connection, passport, purchase of any property, vehicle, open bank account, prepare any category or other certificate, take admission in school-college, effect bank transactions, prepare Pan Card, draw any sort of pension/stipend or take any subsidy from the Government or benefit of many Govt schemes.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel