The Unique ID Authority of India (UIDAI) has rejected over 40 lakh enrolment IDs (EIDs) in Odisha, creating confusion among the people of the State.
What is perplexing is that while people are waiting for Aadhaar cards for months together, the UIDAI authorities are yet to inform the people concerned about the rejection. This has come to the fore during stocktaking by the officials engaged in collecting data in this regard.
The UIDAI has the mandate to collect basic demographics (name, gender, date of birth and address), a photograph and biometrics (10 finger prints and two iris) and to undertake biometric de-duplication and issue Unique IDs or Aadhaar numbers to residents of the country.
On May 10, 2011, collection of Photo Biometric Data started in Odisha and the Bio Metric Enrolment (BME) job was assigned to the ECIl.
As per the latest report, out of the targeted population of over 3.84 crore, the BME has been done for over 3.23 crore persons by June 13, 2015. Persons above five years of age are included in the targeted population. A total of 371 Permanent Enrolment Centers (PECs) have been opened in the State.
Till June 13, 2015, the first round operation was completed in 29 districts. The operation has been put on hold in Malkangiri district due to Maoist problems.
Out of 3.23 crore persons, over 2.84 crore have been issued Aadhaar numbers, which is nearly 74 per cent of the target. Out of 29 districts, while Ganjam has been given highest 21.27 lakh Aadhar numbers, Cuttack comes second with 21 lakh Aadhaar numbrs and Khordha third with 18.32 lakh Aadhaar numbers.
Officials said though the UIDAI has rejected over 40 lakh EIDs due to various reasons, yet it has no system to people concerned about rejection.
"The rejection has created confusion as to how a person would know whether his EID has been rejected or not," asked officials.
They have urged the UIDAI to generate Aadhaar numbers in favour of those people as they would suffer a lot.