Ajanta Chakraborty, TNN Jun 17, 2013, 05.07AM IST
KOLKATA: They say there's always a second chance. But there's a third chance as well if you want to get hold of your unique identity number. Courtesy the census directorate, the government has already started opening permanent centres to enrol you with the National Population Register (NPR). So it's only a matter of months now before you get the coveted 12-digit number.
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh bringing areas covered under NPR (including Bengal) within the ambit of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme, such centres have already been set up in Howrah and Cooch Behar.
"These districts were chosen because NPR has covered more than 75% of the population here," S K Chakraborty, deputy director general, Registrar General of India, told TOI from Delhi.
"In Cooch Behar and Howrah, we have already provided two sets of biometric kits and at least two operators. But these centres couldn't start operation due to the panchayat poll code of conduct. Similar provisions will be made for Kolkata and other districts soon," Chakraborty added. It may be noted that Bengal has already missed the March, 2013, deadline of the NPR. The state has just covered about 22% the 9.1-crore population.
The ministry of home affairs will bear the cost of the permanent centres. According to Chakraborty, the ward-in-charge will be given all necessary support, including computers and manpower. The scheme is being prepared as part of the third phase of the NPR, which relates to updating and maintenance of the database.
Around 12,000 permanent NPR centres will come up across India. But the onus to reach the centres rests on the individuals, who must inform the permanent centre whenever there is birth or death in the family. Migration of members must also be registered with the NPR centres.
"Permanent centres are the only solution to the problem since many people are likely to be left out of the enrolment every time. Minor details of the enrolment centres must be worked out for smooth registration," said P K Majumdar, acting director of census operations in Bengal.
As far as Kolkata is concerned, all the 144 wards have gone through the first round of enrolment. The second phase of biomentric camps has been initiated in places where the first round has been completed. Once the second phase is over, the programme of including those yet to be enrolled will happen in the form of permanent enrolment centres.
"Since the census directorate has limited resources, we are depending on local municipalities and panchayats to cover most of the population. We are aiming at a maximum coverage. It seems possible because only usual residents (those who have lived in an area for six months at a stretch) need to be covered," Majumdar said.
The census directorate, meanwhile, is grappling with issues of overlapping and the consequent confusion created over UID and NPR and problems pertaining to data sharing between the two authorities. While NPR enrolment is compulsory under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955, as amended in 2004, the UID programme was a sweeping initiative launched in 2009. But a parliamentary committee ordered a review of the project that did not have any legislative backing like the NPR.
Steps to unique identification
1. Those families enrolled manually for the 2010 census are given intimation for enrolment for NPR
2. Residents above 5 yrs can enrol
3. Fingerprints of 10 fingers and two iris images are captured and recorded
4. After registering the particulars, a printout is given immediately
5. After collating data, the enrolment list will be verified and displayed in every ward so that residents can check if the particulars are correctly entered
6. Any problem here and you can check with the census directorate office at Salt Lake
7. After completing the process, one is issued the 12-digit UID number
8. The UID number comes to you by post, inscribed on Resident Identity Card (RIC)
Overlapping of NPR and Aadhaar
1. Those who have already got their Aadhaar number in special camps conducted by private players must attend the NPR enrolment
2. So, in effect, if the card is obtained not through census data, then it is invalid
3. But they could skip the lengthy process or photographing of fingerprints and iris
4. The reference to previous Aadhaar enrolment would help import the individual data
5. Even if you fail to refer to previous enrolment and get enrolled afresh, the data base crosschecks and links both
6. NPR enrolment is more comprehensive and final
7. A parliamentary committee has noted that the database for UID or the Aadhaar programme, launched by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), could be abused in absence of a legal framework
8. It was found that UID was overlapping with the NPR, an older effort to gather the same information
9. Finally, the 144 crore Indian populace was divided between the two programmes. In Bengal, NPR, and not Aadhaar, is applicable
