Assam: Aadhaar Cards To Be Issued To Over 9 Lakh People With Locked Biometrics

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that more than 9 lakh people, whose biometrics were locked during the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state, will get Aadhaar cards now.

He said that the Union Ministry of Home (MHA) has already instructed Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to do the needful in this regard.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said, “There were more than 9 lakh people in Assam who were not getting Aadhaar cards as their biometrics were locked during the NRC update procedure in the state. However, this lockage has nothing to do with the NRC update. From February-August in 2019, NRC updates and Aadhaar cards were done at the same centres. The biometrics of those who applied for Aadhaar cards during that period were locked for some unknown reasons. The non-inclusion of over 19 lakh people in the final NRC also had nothing to do with the lockage of the biometrics of over 9,35,682 people during that period. The over nine lakh comprise people belonging to all castes and creeds.”

The Assam CM said that the UIDAI would show the way to the affected people as to how they get their biometric and Aadhaar cards within 30 days.

“It’s a great relief for these over nine lakh people who have been deprived of benefits of various government schemes. They also cannot open their bank accounts, etc. Earlier, the government formed a cabinet subcommittee to sort out the problem. The committee held a series of meetings with all stakeholders, including the AASU. The stakeholders said that they had no objections to issuing Aadhaar cards to these over nine lakh people. After that, the Cabinet approved the issuance of Aadhaar cards to these over nine lakh people,” he said.

CM Sarma said that the state government had to pursue this issue with the Centre for two years. “In July, the MHA asked us to send an official proposal regarding the unlocking of the biometric lockage. On July 29 this year, we sent the formal proposal to the MHA that instructed the UIDAI authority to do the needful,” he said.

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