GUWAHATI: Aadhaar card enrolment process is set to come to a halt in Kamrup (Metro) and rural districts as the employees are planning to go on a strike due to non-payment of salary.
Sri Balaji Constructions was given the contract to carry out Aadhaar enrolment works in Kamrup (Metro) and rural districts. The company is responsible for Aadhaar enrolment at 400 centres in both the districts.
“I have been working with Sri Balaji Constructions since October 10 last year. I was given the Aadhaar enrolment centre at Rangia. However, for the month of October, I was only paid an incomplete salary of Rs 4,000 for the entire month,” an Aadhaar supervisor, Dharmeshwar Boro told G Plus.
He added that they have not been paid a single penny for the past three months. Further, the employees have alleged that they are yet to even receive their appointment letters.
Boro said that his work involves collecting biometric, demographic data for Aadhaar enrolment process and forwarding it to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
“Today we had come to talk to officials at Sri Balaji Constructions, but we did not receive any satisfactory response to our queries. They are giving us only false promises saying that they are processing our salaries,” said another employee at Balaji Constructions.
Giving an ultimatum to the management, the employees said that if they are not paid their salary soon, they will stop working and will also not allow any new employees to take over and work at the Aadhaar enrolment centres.
The firms involved in the process had been given a time period of one year to complete the task assigned to them for 3.16 crore residents of the state who are yet to receive Aadhaar cards. Out of 3.40 crore estimated population only 24.34 lakh people (less than 10% population) possess Aadhaar cards so far, according to official figures.
The six selected firms have already been given the terms and conditions of the project and contract agreements have also been signed between the registrar and the firms on September 6.
Altogether 20 firms had applied for the Aadhaar exercise and out of them only six firms were finally selected through a bid evaluation committee and state-level Aadhaar Implementation Committee notified for the purpose.
The entire state has been divided into 10 zones for the project. Further, the GAD has already notified 1,241 enrolment centres in the state spreading across its 33 districts.
Officials informed that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) would be providing funds for the cost of generation of Aadhaar cards for the residents through the registrar and the other expenses like consumables and stationary items among others for the enrolment centres would be borne by the general administrative department.
Process of Aadhaar enrolment
The Unique Identification Authority of India issues a 12-digit number which is called Aadhaar Card to Indian residents. The Aadhaar card enrolment application form is provided to the residents in the enrolment centres.
However, the form can also be downloaded online through UIDAI website or by visiting the nearest Aadhaar enrolment centres, or banks and post offices. Further, once the application has been submitted, the Aadhaar card can be downloaded online after 10-12 days from the date of submission of application.
Aadhar is considered a proof of residence and not a proof of citizenship. The residents who come to the Aadhaar enrolment centres for the generation of Aadhaar cards are required to submit original documents of proof of address, proof of date of birth and proof of residence at the time of submitting applications.
In order to create publicity and awareness, a series of information, education, communication (IEC) activities among the residents on the necessity of Aadhaar cards that is, in getting government benefits and subsidies, including the procedures of Aadhaar card generation has also been planned by the GAD with the help of UIDAI. A person can get his/her Aadhaar number/card free of cost. An Aadhar number can be used while opening a bank account, applying for passport, booking e-tickets and many other places where there is a need to establish identity.
