Important Facts on AADHAAR: You Must Know

Important Facts on AADHAAR

Introduction:

First of all we need to know what is UIDAI? It is  'Unique Identification Authority of India ', a Central Government Agency in New Delhi which has the issuing authority of  Aadhar Unique Identification Numbers(UID's) and Aadhar Cards. The Unique Identification Project was initially conceived by then Planning Commission as an initiative that would provide a clear and unique identification number (i.e. AADHAAR number) for each resident across the country and that would be used primarily as the basis of efficient delivery of welfare services.

Description of UIDAI:

• Full form of UIDAI - Unique Identification Authority of India
• UIDAI is a nodal statutory organization
• Launched - 28^th January, 2009
• Headquarters - New Delhi
• First Chairperson - Shri Nandan Nilekani ( Former Infosys CEO) on 2^nd July, 2009
• First Director General - Shri Ram Sevak Sharma (IAS) in July 2009
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Dr. Ajoy  Bhusan  Pandey (IAS)
• Part-time Member - Shri Rajesh Jain(Founder & Managing Director of net CORE Solution) and Dr. Anand Deshpande (Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of Persistent Systems)
• Chairman - Shri J. Satyanarayana (IAS) as part-time
• Data Centers - Industrial Model Township (IMT) Manesar (Gurgaon) in Haryana state and Hebbel (Bangaluru) in Karnataka.

Description:

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was set up by the Government of India in January 2009, as an attached office under dash of Planning Commission vide it is gazette notification. The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit Identification (UID) number (termed as AADHAAR) to all the residents of India. As per the notification, the UIDAI has been given the responsibility to lay down the plan and policies to implement the UIDAI scheme.

Much before the creation of the UIDAI efforts were undertaken by Government of India to provide an identity to residents first in 1993, with photo-identity cards by the Election Commission and Further in 2003 with the approval of Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC). The Government of India in a notification dated 16^th December, 2010 recognizes the letter issued by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) with details of name, address and Aadhaar number as an officially valid document. Any Aadhaar holder or service provider can verify an Aadhaar number for its genuineness through a user-friendly service of UIDAI called Aadhaar Verification Service (AVS).

Prospect of UIDAI:

To empower residents of India with a unique identity and a digital platform to authenticate anytime, anywhere.

AADHAAR Timeline:

1999	After Kargil war, Kargil Review Committee, headed by security analyst K. Subrahmanyam. He was formed   to study the state of national security.
2000	A report with the proposal and recommendations for citizens in village in border region issued an identity card on7th January, 2000. The report was submitted to our former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
2001	A group of ministers (GOM) headed by L.K Adbani submitted the report (the report said the “Multi-purpose National Identity Card” project) in May 2001. The Ministry of External Affairs proposed that a mandatory national identity card be issued in late September, 2001.
2003	The citizenship amendment bill, 2003 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by L.K Adbani in December, 2003. The central Government resister every citizen of India and issue the national identity card.
2009	In 28th January, 2009 UIDAI established and 23rd June, 2009 Nandan Nilekani was appointed the chairman of UIDAI and cabinet minister by government to head the project.
2010	In April 2010 the logo and the brand name AADHAAR was launched by Nandan Nilekani. In May 2010 Nandan Nilekani would support a legislation to protect the data held by UIDAI and in July 2010 UIAI published a list of 15 agencies to provide training to enrollment the process.
2012	UIDAI launched an online verification system for aadhaar number on 7th February, 2012. On 26 November 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched an Aadhaar-linked direct benefit transfer scheme.
2013	On 1 January 2013 The project was to be introduced in 51 districts and then slowly expanded to cover all of India. The Supreme Court issued an interim order on 23 September 2013.
2014	In March 2014, Nandan Nilekani resigned as the Chairman. The former UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani met with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to convince them of the project’s merits On 1 July, 2014.
2015	In March 2015 the Aadhaar-linked DigiLocker service was launched. On 18th June, 2015 in a high level review meeting on the progress of the UID project and   DBT scheme.
2016	The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 11 March. In 31 March 2016, 99.9 crores (999 million) Aadhaar numbers have been issued in the project.

Advantages of Aadhaar Cards: 

• Aadhaar based Direct Benefit Transfer (LPG subsidy)
• Passport in 10days
• Voter Card linking
• Jan Dhan Yojana
• Digital Locker (Digilocker is a key initiative under Digital India)
• Provident Fund
• Monthly Pension
• Digital Life Certificate
• Opening new bank account
• Securities and Exchange board of India (SEBI)