TNN | Mar 29, 2015, 12.06 PM IST
MANGALURU: Aadhaar cards are not made mandatory for school students, emphasized deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim and deputy director of public instructions (DDPI) Walter D'Mello.
The duo made this statement at the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting held on Saturday.
At the review meet chaired by district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai, MLC Ivan D'Souza pointed out that several schools in the district are demanding Aadhaar cards from students.
Inconvenience for all
"Parents are made to suffer as schools are demanding Aadhaar card copies of their wards. Children, instead of preparing for the final exams, are made to wait in the queue at Aadhaar card registration centres. The district administration should either make necessary arrangements for the speedy disposal of Aadhaar cards or stop the process completely," the MLC said.
DC Ibrahim and D'Mello reaffirmed that the government has not made Aadhaar card compulsory for students. D'Mello said: "The department has not received any direction from the government. We have not directed schools to make Aadhaar card compulsory for students," he clarified.
Mangalore City South MLA J R Lobo pointed out that the process of Aadhaar card registration is unorganized in the district.
"Although tokens are issued to the citizens, when they go to the venue, they don't find anyone at the registration counters. The district administration should convene a meeting of IT department officials immediately to solve the crisis," he added.
Minister Rai said that a meeting of state officials will be held shortly to discuss issues related to Aadhar card distribution.
The DC said 71% of people in Dakshina Kannada have registered for Aadhar card. "Over 16 lakh people have registered for Aadhaar card in the district. We are in the process of registering over 4.5 lakh people, and the task has been entrusted to a private agen cy," he added.
Additional deputy commissioner J Sadashiva Prabhu pointed out that in addition to four centres in the city, the district administration has made provision for Aadhaar card registration at 16 out of 17 nadakacheris in the district. Howeve r, shortage of staff is hindering the registration process, he said.