75% Aadhaar cards done, but rest facing long wait at centres
Anjaya Anparthi, TNN | Mar 26, 2013, 06.54 AM IST
NAGPUR: Some 74.33% citizens have already registered for Aadhaar card in Nagpur, but those waiting to get registered are facing great inconvenience due to less number of registration centres, even as the May 31 deadline for registration is nearing. The state government is trying to cope with the last rush by directing district administration and civic bodies to open centres in public places like schools and colleges, besides government offices. It has also promised stringent action if any irregularities come to fore in Aadhaar cards.
Government data says 17,87,856 citizens were registered in the city as of March 8. The 2011 population census puts the city's population at 24.05 lakh. Thus, 74.33% of Nagpur's population has been registered under Aadhaar.
The Aadhaar registration seriously picked up pace after February, when the education department issued a directive to all schools and colleges, to ensure their students, teachers and parents are registered by May 31. As a result, some schools have set the deadline for their students and parents as March 31.
At the launch of Aadhaar registration in September 2010, NMC was given a target of completing the registration of 24.05 lakh population by March 31, 2012. But this target could not be achieved. The registration of only 15,66,893 persons have been completed at the given date, which was 65.155% of target.
Then, the government restarted enrolment in all cities to cover the remaining population from middle of 2012. Government figures reveal that 2,20,963 citizens have been registered in the second phase up to March 8.
However, citizens trying to register now are facing problems due to lack of sufficient number of centres. Government figures say there are only 15 centres in the city with 44 machines. Chairman of Laxmi Nagar zone Gopal Bohare told TOI that at least 250 machines should be available in the city. "NMC and district administration are not taking any interest towards Aadhaar registration. Laxmi Nagar zone does not have a single centre. I pressed for a centre for five months, and was given only three centres," he said.
Even NMC is not considering requests from schools to start Aadhaar centres. Director of South Point School, Ring Road, Deven Dasture said they have submitted an application two months ago requesting a centre at the school for the convenience of students and nearby citizens. "NMC did not even reply to my application. Centers should be increased as the existing centres are too few and far away from our school," he said.
NMC's Aadhaar coordinator RS Kamble said they now have 83 machines at work. "NMC is planning to take the number to 100. A mega centre with 10 machines has been started at Nehru Nagar zone. NMC has also requested the government to increase the agencies. Five agencies have been operating in the city. Now, IDBI Bank is set to start its centres. The registration will be expedited and completed in couple of months if the government permits six more agencies," he said.
Meanwhile, complaints are coming in of irregularities at Aadhaar centres. Corporator Bandu Raut said touts are demanding Rs500-700 to get Aadhaar cards made, taking undue advantage of the huge waiting time. "I will catch the touts red-handed and then lodge a complaint with police and NMC," he said.