Question : Biometric Details of NRC Applicants

(a) whether the Government is aware of the locking of biometric details of NRC applicants who filed claims and objections to get their names listed in the final NRC list, if so reasons therefor;

(b) whether the Government has data on the number of such individuals from Assam whose biometric details were locked;

(c) the date by when the Government intends to unlock frozen biometric details; and

(d) whether the Government has taken any measures to ensure individuals are not deprived of access to welfare schemes due to frozen biometric details, if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)


(a) to (c): As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the Hon’ble Supreme Court for disposal of claims and objections on the National Register of Citizens(NRC), Assam, the biometric enrolment in respect of persons who were part of the claims and those objected upon were to be distinctive and separate IDs were to be generated. Only on publication of final NRC, such


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L.S.USQ.NO.1398 FOR 07.12.2021

persons who are included in the NRC are to be given the usual Aadhaar number as applicable to legal residents in the country.

The Complete Draft NRC, Assam was published on 30th July, 2018. A total number of 40,70,707 persons were not found eligible for inclusion in the draft NRC. On the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the supplementary list of inclusions and the list of exclusions have been published on 31st August, 2019. A total of 3,11,21,004 persons are found eligible for inclusion leaving out 19,06,657 persons. The claims for 36,26,630 lakh persons and objections against 1,87,633 lakh persons were received. The biometric was taken during the hearings for verification of claims and objections. Total number of persons from whom biometrics so collected are 26,52,784.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court has directed the State Coordinator to enact an appropriate security regime on lines similar to the security regime provided for Aadhaar data and only thereafter the list of inclusions and exclusions shall be made available to the State Government, Central Government and Registrar General, India.

(d): No instruction has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to deprive access to welfare schemes to such persons for whom distinctive and separate IDs have been generated.
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