The state government has identified at least 42 government establishments in the city that are to be used as biometric information collection centres for Aadhaar, the enrolment process of which is supposed to start by the second week of February.
The state had, in November last year, floated tenders for data collection agencies and at least 270 agencies were supposed to be set up in the city.
The Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD) of the government of Assam, Ranjan Chakraborty, however clarified that due to the Unique Identification Authority of India’s (UIDAI) directive, the number of centres has been reduced due to lack of resources.
“Once the enrolment process starts, we are expecting to enrol at least at least 2,400 persons daily in the city,” Chakraborty said.
17 bank branches in Ghy facilitating Aadhaar enrolment
At least 17 branches of banks have already started Aadhaar enrolment in the city.
The enrolment process through banks has started in Kamrup (Metro) district through branches of banks. The branches belong to both government and private banks such as State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Dena Bank, Axis Bank, Canara Bank, IDBI, Corporation Bank and ICICI Bank.
An official in the SBI Dispur branch said that so far at least 1,500 persons have already enrolled with their details.
“The branches have already started distribution of the forms and the customers have also started submission. The process is being monitored by the district administration,” the official said.
“The load has increased after the data collection works have started. A lot of people have come in who have accounts with the bank for enrolment. However, tardy as the enrolment process may be, later, it will help in banking services,” the official said.
The official said that once the details are linked, the banks can keep track of the loan defaulters or offer better service to people who are entitled to various schemes through the banks.
According to sources in the UIDAI office at Beltola here, the number of banks authorised to collect biometric data will be increased soon.
