9th October 2010
The enrollment for Aadhaar has been completed in Tembhali village – the village is now India’s first Aadhaargram, a region where every resident now has an Aadhaar number. Aadhaar enrolment will continue in the surrounding villages in Nandurbar, Maharashtra.
Now the launch of Aadhaar is moving north. The UIDAI will begin issuing Aadhaar numbers in India’s capital city.
The first phase of Aadhaar enrolment in Delhi reflects the UIDAI’s continuing mandate of inclusion. Enrolment for the number will begin among the underprivileged, starting with Delhi’s homeless – the people who now live in the shadows of the city, and who are most in need of clear recognition, and the benefits that come with it.
Understanding the needs of the homeless
The enrolment process the UIDAI has designed for the homeless takes into account the unique constraints and challenges they face. The most significant problem for this group is their lack of both an identity proof and a postal address for follow-up communication, since most of the homeless live out in the open, on footpaths and under bridges.
The UIDAI has therefore, designed an innovative, highly targeted enrolment process for the city’s homeless, based on the results of a survey being conducted of Delhi’s homeless population by the organizations Mission Convergence & MNGO (Mother NGO) St. Stephens Hospital.
Meeting the challenge of no address proof
When enrolling the homeless, the UIDAI will collect the usual, basic demographic and biometric information that is requested from every resident. However, for the address field, every homeless resident in Delhi who enrols for an Aadhaar number will be linked to the HRC (Homeless Resource Centre) of the relevant district. This is where a homeless city resident can be most easily contacted.
The HRC address, along with a pocket code assigned during the survey which uniquely describes the location where the homeless usually spends the night, will be used to deliver the Aadhaar letter and continue any further communication with the homeless resident.
Meeting the challenge of no identity proof
Most of the homeless in India also lack a proof of identity, which could constrain them from enrolling for the Aadhaar number. To address this problem, the UIDAI has linked up with the coordinators of various HRCs, night shelters and NGOs who were involved in the homeless survey. These individuals have been authorised as ‘introducers’ who will help the homeless individual at the time he/she enrols for the Aadhaar number. Further, based on the survey, Mission Convergence has commenced issuing provisional ID cards / Beghar cards which will also be used as a proof of identity.
Ensuring full enrolment of the homeless
To ensure that all the homeless get enrolled, enrolments will be done across Delhi during the night, through mobile enrolment van. In addition, enrolment camps will be sent up at various night shelters and HRCs.
Spreading awareness of the Aadhaar number
The UIDAI has, in coordination with Mission Convergence, already begun efforts to communicate the details of the Aadhaar enrolment process to the homeless, as well as the enrolment schedule, the locations of enrolment centres, and the benefits of the Aadhaar number.
These communication efforts are leveraging strategies already tested by Mission Convergence. This includes the use of folk songs and Nukkad Nataks – street theatre – to detail the benefits of the Aadhaar number. In addition, the UIDAI has also planned a roadshow by the disabled and homeless, who will approach homeless residents on rickshaws and tricycles to encourage them to enrol. “Our goal is to raise awareness of the number using both NGO workers and spokespeople from the homeless community itself”, Ram Sewak Sharma, Director General of the UIDAI, said.
Delivering benefits through Aadhaar
From the beginning, the UIDAI has envisioned the Aadhaar number as a powerful infrastructure, which can be used to deliver benefits to the poor across a variety of schemes, in a timely manner and with government accountability.
Once enrolment of Delhi’s homeless into Aadhaar is complete, the number will become the basis for delivering social benefits through the Mission Convergence program. The benefits that may be linked to the Aadhaar number and delivered to the homeless under Mission Convergence could include disabled and unemployment allowances, widow benefits, and old age assistance. With Aadhaar, the government would also be able to verify in real-time whether homeless individuals have received their benefits, by authenticating them demographically, or through a swipe of their thumb.
Enabling financial inclusion through Aadhaar
The Aadhaar number is expected to become a powerful means of financial inclusion for the poor. This is particularly true for homeless groups who cannot access a bank account today because they lack the proof of identity and proof of address that banks require to open an account,
The Aadhaar number would be sufficient for the homeless to meet the KYC requirements of banks. Once they possess Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, the government would be able to deliver benefits that are tailored to their requirements, directly to them.
The mobility the Aadhaar number brings
The homeless in India are among the country’s most mobile residents. They have few assets and attachments that tie them down to one place, and they consequently tend to move often in search of menial work, and better living circumstances. For them, the Aadhaar number will be the first clearly verifiable, mobile identity, which they can use to establish their identity wherever they are and with any agency.
Source: Press Note
Now the launch of Aadhaar is moving north. The UIDAI will begin issuing Aadhaar numbers in India’s capital city.
The first phase of Aadhaar enrolment in Delhi reflects the UIDAI’s continuing mandate of inclusion. Enrolment for the number will begin among the underprivileged, starting with Delhi’s homeless – the people who now live in the shadows of the city, and who are most in need of clear recognition, and the benefits that come with it.
Understanding the needs of the homeless
The enrolment process the UIDAI has designed for the homeless takes into account the unique constraints and challenges they face. The most significant problem for this group is their lack of both an identity proof and a postal address for follow-up communication, since most of the homeless live out in the open, on footpaths and under bridges.
The UIDAI has therefore, designed an innovative, highly targeted enrolment process for the city’s homeless, based on the results of a survey being conducted of Delhi’s homeless population by the organizations Mission Convergence & MNGO (Mother NGO) St. Stephens Hospital.
Meeting the challenge of no address proof
When enrolling the homeless, the UIDAI will collect the usual, basic demographic and biometric information that is requested from every resident. However, for the address field, every homeless resident in Delhi who enrols for an Aadhaar number will be linked to the HRC (Homeless Resource Centre) of the relevant district. This is where a homeless city resident can be most easily contacted.
The HRC address, along with a pocket code assigned during the survey which uniquely describes the location where the homeless usually spends the night, will be used to deliver the Aadhaar letter and continue any further communication with the homeless resident.
Meeting the challenge of no identity proof
Most of the homeless in India also lack a proof of identity, which could constrain them from enrolling for the Aadhaar number. To address this problem, the UIDAI has linked up with the coordinators of various HRCs, night shelters and NGOs who were involved in the homeless survey. These individuals have been authorised as ‘introducers’ who will help the homeless individual at the time he/she enrols for the Aadhaar number. Further, based on the survey, Mission Convergence has commenced issuing provisional ID cards / Beghar cards which will also be used as a proof of identity.
Ensuring full enrolment of the homeless
To ensure that all the homeless get enrolled, enrolments will be done across Delhi during the night, through mobile enrolment van. In addition, enrolment camps will be sent up at various night shelters and HRCs.
Spreading awareness of the Aadhaar number
The UIDAI has, in coordination with Mission Convergence, already begun efforts to communicate the details of the Aadhaar enrolment process to the homeless, as well as the enrolment schedule, the locations of enrolment centres, and the benefits of the Aadhaar number.
These communication efforts are leveraging strategies already tested by Mission Convergence. This includes the use of folk songs and Nukkad Nataks – street theatre – to detail the benefits of the Aadhaar number. In addition, the UIDAI has also planned a roadshow by the disabled and homeless, who will approach homeless residents on rickshaws and tricycles to encourage them to enrol. “Our goal is to raise awareness of the number using both NGO workers and spokespeople from the homeless community itself”, Ram Sewak Sharma, Director General of the UIDAI, said.
Delivering benefits through Aadhaar
From the beginning, the UIDAI has envisioned the Aadhaar number as a powerful infrastructure, which can be used to deliver benefits to the poor across a variety of schemes, in a timely manner and with government accountability.
Once enrolment of Delhi’s homeless into Aadhaar is complete, the number will become the basis for delivering social benefits through the Mission Convergence program. The benefits that may be linked to the Aadhaar number and delivered to the homeless under Mission Convergence could include disabled and unemployment allowances, widow benefits, and old age assistance. With Aadhaar, the government would also be able to verify in real-time whether homeless individuals have received their benefits, by authenticating them demographically, or through a swipe of their thumb.
Enabling financial inclusion through Aadhaar
The Aadhaar number is expected to become a powerful means of financial inclusion for the poor. This is particularly true for homeless groups who cannot access a bank account today because they lack the proof of identity and proof of address that banks require to open an account,
The Aadhaar number would be sufficient for the homeless to meet the KYC requirements of banks. Once they possess Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, the government would be able to deliver benefits that are tailored to their requirements, directly to them.
The mobility the Aadhaar number brings
The homeless in India are among the country’s most mobile residents. They have few assets and attachments that tie them down to one place, and they consequently tend to move often in search of menial work, and better living circumstances. For them, the Aadhaar number will be the first clearly verifiable, mobile identity, which they can use to establish their identity wherever they are and with any agency.
Source: Press Note
