Should I get an Aadhaar or not? Bengalureans in a dilemma
DC | 23rd Oct 2013
Bengaluru: Conflicting announcements and instructions from various authorities have Bengalureans confused over whether or not to go ahead with enrolling for Aadhaar.
The Supreme Court has ordered that Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for availing any services or social benefits extended by any government department or agency. But nationalised and private banks continue to insist on consumers linking their accounts with Aadhaar numbers.
Oil Companies also continue insisting on consumers furnishing Aadhaar numbers to link LPG services with Aadhaar numbers. Meanwhile, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Union government and PSU oil companies have approached the Supreme Court against the order of not making Aadhaar mandatory to avail of social benefits.
This has left many confused as the UIDAI has not issued any clarification, neither has any other department revised/updated its stand on the need for Aadhaar.
“There is a lot of confusion about Aadhaar. I had booked an appointment in the last week of October to get Aadhaar numbers for my entire family. But, now with the Supreme Court order makes it look like Aadhaar might be a vain effort. But EPFO, LPG, banks etc still say that Aadhaar is needed. I am not sure what to do,” said Rajjaq Ahmed, a resident of RT Nagar.
“I was keen on getting the Aadhaar number as there were talks that once bank accounts are linked with Aadhaar, banking will become cardless. But, now, I do not understand whether Aadhaar will be of any use or not. The authorities concerned must clarify,” said Shamik Sen, a software engineer and resident of BTM Layout.
Despite the Supreme Court order, many think that Aadhaar might be treated as a mandatory prerequisite for crucial services. Some social benefits have been suspended to some consumers in Mysore and Tumkur after they failed to furnish their Aadhaar numbers recently.
Many in Dharwad district fear the same fate. Mysore, Tumkur and Dharwad are among the 51 districts that the Union government has chosen for the first phase of implementation of direct cash transfer of subsidies.