Aadhaar card enrollment: This is why UIDAI has cracked whip against banks

Aadhaar card enrollment: The UIDAI has flagged low Aadhaar enrollment and updation at nearly 2,500 out of over 7,000 bank branches that have started the facility, and instructed banks to take immediate steps to correct the situation. The Aadhaar-issuing body is of the view that the enrollment or updation activity carried out in each of these laggard branches must be at least 16 per day. Moreover, they should cater to all the customers for Aadhaar enrollment and updation, even if an individual does not have an account with that particular branch.

"The total enrollments or updation that can happen in a branch are 40 to 50 a day. We have said it could be a little lower or higher, but they need to bring it to at least 16 per branch per day to start with," Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), CEO, Ajay Bhushan Pandey told PTI recently. Pandey said that logging less than 16 enrollments or updation instances by one bank branch means that people are not approaching such branches for Aadhaar-related activity. Hence, banks have to take make "proactive efforts" and create awareness about the Aadhaar facility.

"People should also go and visit branches for such work. All the information about the bank branches which are offering enrollment and updation facility is on our website," he said. Over 7,000 branches of private and public sector banks have opened Aadhaar enrollment and updation centres within their premises, as against the stipulated over 13,851 branches that are required to do so. Even the statistics on Aadhaar centres in post offices is looking up, Pandey said, adding that nearly 1,500 post offices were now offering Aadhaar facility.

The UIDAI has been in regular touch with the banks to see that issues being faced, if any, are resolved; and is also tracking the progress on opening up of more Aadhaar centres in banks. Besides the 2,500 branches for which the UIDAI has flagged the issue, the remaining bank branches are witnessing satisfactory level of activity, he said.
In fact, bank branches and post offices together are seeing enrollment and updation activity to the tune of 70,000 per day, Pandey said. The Bank Aadhaar Kendras are being set up with a view to make the Aadhaar verification process of bank accounts convenient for the people, and also to have more Aadhaar centres across the country.
The move is also aimed at providing convenience and more secure Aadhaar enrollment and updation facilities for Indian residents.

Banks that are without Aadhaar enrollment centres in 10 per cent of their branches could face Rs 20,000 fine (per uncovered branch).