Question : AADHAAR NUMBERS CARDS

(a) whether any Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or foreign citizen living in India can apply for Aadhaar number/card;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the intelligence agencies in the country have raised objection over the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issuing the Aadhaar cards to foreigners and refugees from other countries;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(e) the details of the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to address the concerns raised by the intelligence agencies and also to generate Aadhaar numbers to all residents in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS & PLANNING (SHRI RAJEEV SHUKLA)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 194 REGARDING AADHAAR NUMBERS/CARDS

(a) to (e): As per instructions issued by the Government, mandate of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) includes generating and issuing Unique Identity Numbers (Aadhaar numbers) to residents of India. For the purpose of enrolment, the Government have decided that in 18 States/Union Territories (UTs), UIDAI shall undertake enrolment in addition to enrolment under the National Population Registrar (NPR) process. In the remaining States/ Union Territories (UTs), enrolment is being undertaken exclusively under the NPR process. The Government further decided that in the event of any discrepancy between the National Population Registrar (NPR) and Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) database, the NPR data will prevail.

In undertaking enrolment of residents, UIDAI follows a definition of “resident” based on the definition of “population register” provided in rule 2(I) of the citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Card) Rules 2003, i.e., “resident” means an individual usually residing in a village or rural area or town or ward or demarcated area (demarcated by the Registrar General of Citizen Registration) within a ward in a town or urban area in India. Both UIDAI and NPR are enrolling the same category of persons, i.e., residents.

Collection of demographic data by UIDAI is undertaken in accordance with verification procedures recommended by the Committee on Demographic Data Standards and Verification Procedure (DDSVP), which was headed by Shri N. Vittal, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner

(India), and included representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information Technology, Ministry of Telecommunications and Department of Post, in addition to representatives of various State Governments. Verification of demographic data of applicants is undertaken: (i) based on supporting documents; or (ii) based on introducer system; or (iii) based on National Population Register (NPR) process of public scrutiny.

In response to the draft record of discussion received from the Ministry of Home Affairs stating that the Intelligence Bureau has proposed that a strong mechanism be put in place for enrolment of residents particularly for enrolments through introducer system, it is informed that adequate safeguards are already in place in the introducer-based enrolment procedure.

The total number of introducer-based enrolments is about 1.87 lakh presently, based on recommendations made by about 3700 introducers appointed by registrars, all of which introducers are Aadhaar number holders and have furnished written documentation relating to such introductions. Introducer-based enrolment thus works out to less than 0.04% of the total number of Aadhaars generated, which stands at 50.81 Crore as on 30.11.2013. Presently over 10 lakh Aadhaar numbers are being generated by UIDAI everyday (this daily estinate is based on last 3 months average of actual Aadhaar generation).