PRC linked Smart Cards in offing Omar launches 'Aadhaar' initiative
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Monday said that Government intends to provide Smart Cards to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir to be linked to the Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) primarily and ration cards, MGNREGA job cards, SKEWPY registration cards, etc secondarily to make the public service delivery hassle free.
"The ultimate linkage of Smart Cards with the Unique Identification Number 'Aadhaar' would undoubtedly ensure timely benefits to the people", he added and said that it would streamline the services and improve the governance.
Rolling out Unique Identification 'Aadhaar' initiative in Jammu and Kashmir at a function at SKICC here, the Chief Minister cautioned the people about the misgivings likely to be created by vested interests regarding Aadhaar. He said that the card is a simple identification number not mandatory or compulsory for the citizens to utilize. "It is an optional facility for valid proof of identification available to the people for obtaining various services promptly," he added.
"You have many cards like passport, driving license, State subject, voter cards, etc and it is up to your own choice to utilize any one of these for identification and residential proofs", he said, adding that Aadhaar is a similar facility available to you to take its full advantage. He said presently even for obtaining a cell phone connection one has to provide various certificates of identification and residence proof. "Similar is the case for getting other services", he said maintaining that Aadhaar would be a valid proof of identification with the card holder.
The Chief Minister said that Aadhaar will also remove the chances of having fake job cards, fake ration cards, false identity cards and even ghost employments on papers.
Omar Abdullah said that Unique Identification Number would prove more efficient in ensuring benefits to the weaker sections of the society under various schemes in the sectors of Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health and Education sectors. He said it will also check the pilferages and protect privacy of the card holders.
Relating the initiative as an important step in the process of e-governance, Omar Abdullah said that Jammu and Kashmir has to move a long way in catching up with other States who have taken various initiatives to make e-governance rule the roast. "Aadhaar is an important initiative in this regard", he said asking the Information Technology Department to put in place many such initiatives for universalizing e-governance in the State.
Speaking on the occasion Minister for Information Technology, Aga Syed Ruhullah elaborated the benefits of Aadhaar and said that this initiative will facilitate weaker sections to a greater extent to get jobs under MGNREGA, obtain ration cards and get benefits of various social welfare schemes speedily.
Deputy Director General, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Keshni Anand Arora said that the Aadhaar was launched in the country by the Prime Minister in September 2010 and so far more than 1.77 crore Aadhaar cards have been provided to the people in the country. She presented resume of the benefits of Aadhaar and said that the UIDAI is entrusted with the stupendous job of providing Unique Identity Numbers to all the Indian residents above the age of 5 years.
The Jammu and Kashmir Bank has been designated as Registrar in the State for Unique Identification Project.
The project is likely to be completed in three years. There will be enrolling agency which will provide application, capture the photo, finger prints, etc of the beneficiary and send the data to the UIDAI for providing Aadhaar Card.
Advisor to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul, Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secretary, Information Technology Department, M K Dwivedi and various senior Central and State officers were present on the occasion.
