Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s prompt intervention has resolved a critical issue affecting over 35,000 BC Sakhis in Uttar Pradesh. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had ordered the shutdown of L-0 devices, which are essential for fingerprint sensing, without providing an alternative solution.

This decision affected over three crore people, including the 35,000 BC Sakhis who rely on these devices for their work. Upon learning of the issue, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath immediately instructed officials to engage with UIDAI and find a resolution. Following his direction, senior officials swiftly contacted senior UIDAI representatives, leading to the reactivation of the devices.

This quick action has ensured the continuity of services for the affected individuals, underscoring Chief Minister Yogi’s sensitivity towards the welfare of the state’s citizens.

According to Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, over 35,000 BC Sakhis are part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission, handling daily financial transactions worth over Rs 40 crore. These BC Sakhis use L-0 fingerprint devices provided by UIDAI to authenticate Aadhaar-based transactions.

However, on October 31, UIDAI ordered the suspension of 19 models of L-0 devices from 10 companies, affecting the BC Sakhis’ ability to carry out their work. The UIDAI also mandated the use of L-1 devices instead, but no training was provided for their use.

As a result, the work of more than 35,000 BC Sakhis was disrupted.

On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh contacted UIDAI officials to address the disruption caused by the sudden suspension of L-0 devices used by BC Sakhis for financial transactions.

Singh explained that the training for using the replacement L-1 devices had not been provided, and since BC Sakhis could not afford to buy new machines, their work was severely affected. He requested the reactivation of the old L-0 devices.

Recognising the urgency of the issue, UIDAI officials promptly agreed to restart the L-0 devices on November 6. Following this, BC Sakhis were able to resume their transactions. The BC Sakhis expressed their gratitude to Chief Minister Yogi, thanking him for his timely intervention.