AADHAAR – Enrolled Twice But Still Waiting For My Aadhaar Card

AADHAAR – Enrolled Twice But Still Waiting For My Aadhaar Card

If the new Government is serious about Aadhaar it needs to revamp UIDAI and make it accountable.

Here is my Aadhaar Story – I enrolled twice for my Aadhaar Card and on both occasions UIDAI bungled in data processing.

Despite repeated complaints for the past two years, there has been I have not received a satisfactory resolution from UIDAI and my Aadhaar Card has still not been delivered to me.

I am a Military Veteran, a citizen of India, with bonafide antecedents, but UIDAI refuses to give me a Aadhaar Card, whereas I have seen media reports of Aadhaar Cards being issued to illegal immigrants and foreigners who are not citizens of India.

The lackadaisical attitude of UIDAI pains me – maybe UIDAI feels it is not accountable to anyone.

I wrote this blog post in January 2014.

I am posting it once more for your perusal.

I want an Aadhaar Card.

I have made repeated efforts to get an Aadhaar Card.

I have enrolled, I have re-enrolled – but till today I have not received my Aadhaar Card.

My numerous complaints have not been satisfactorily resolved by the UIDAI.

Let me tell about my efforts to get an Aadhaar Card.

FIRST AADHAAR ENROLMENT

I first enrolled for Aadhaar on 08 February 2012 (08/02/2012).

The enrolment centre was located in a leading IT Software Company in Pune and Enrolment Agency was “Tera Software Ltd”

There was a big rush and I had to wait for more than 3 hours in a queue before I was enrolled.

I was issued an acknowledgement receipt with an enrolment number.

I did not receive my Aadhaar Card for over 6 months despite repeated reminders from my side.

On checking Aadhaar Status on the UIDAI website, the status would show: “Your Aadhaar Number is under generation”.

Suddenly, 10 months after enrolment, in November 2012, the status said: “Your Aadhaar enrolment could not be processed due to data process error. Please re-enroll yourself at the nearest enrolment centre”

SECOND AADHAAR RE - ENROLMENT

Accordingly, I re-enrolled myself for Aadhaar for a second time on 10 December 2012 (10/12/2012).

The Enrolment Centre was located in IDBI Bank Hinjewadi Pune and the Enrolment Agency was “Sreeven Infocom Limited”.

I explained to the lady enroller that my first Aadhaar enrolment had failed due to data process error and asked her to be extra careful and ensure that my data was collected properly.

The enroller took due care and confirmed to me that my biometric details had been recorded perfectly.

She also cross-checked my documents of Proof of Identity (PAN Card), Proof of Address (Electricity Bill in my name) and even took a Date of Birth proof document from me and attached photocopies of all these documents to the form which she was forwarding.

She assured me that I would receive my Aadhaar Card within 3 months.

I was issued an acknowledgement receipt with an enrolment number.

This time the Aadhaar enrolment acknowledgement form had additional comments like “Good Fingerprint Quality”, “Biometrics Captured Fingers (10) Iris (2) Face” etc.

I eagerly waited for my Aadhaar card.

Unfortunately, exactly the same sequence of events happened as had taken place during the first Aadhaar Enrolment.

For the first few months the status report said: “Your Aadhaar Number is under generation”.

After more than 6 months had elapsed, the Aadhaar status said: “Your Aadhaar enrolment could not be processed due to data process error. Please re-enroll yourself at the nearest enrolment centre”

Why was “data process error” occurring again and again?

What exactly are these “data processing errors” which were happening more than 6 months after enrolment?

I sent emails to UIDAI ( E-Mail id: help@uidai.gov.in ) and filled up online grievance redressal form, but I did not receive satisfactory response from UIDAI, and my case remains unresolved.

It seemed that things were moving in a circle and I was destined not to get an Aadhaar Card.

APATHETIC GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL SYSTEM OF UIDAI

It has been my experience that the UIDAI Grievance Redressal Mechanism is totally ineffective.

Since I am keen to get an Aadhaar Card and I do not want the same “data process error” to happen again and again, I made a number of complaints by email / helpline but did not receive any satisfactory response.

The only response to my complaints and grievances I received was a call from the UIDAI Mumbai Office that I should re-enroll once again (for the third time) and try my luck.

I asked the official: “This time can you please guarantee that that there will be no “data processing errors” and can you assure me that I will receive my Aadhaar Card?”

He laughed it off, saying: “Who can guarantee anything? The whole enrolment process has been outsourced to private companies. You re-enroll once more and try your luck. If your Aadhaar generation fails again, you keep trying again and again.”

This reply from UIDAI left me bewildered. I did not know whether to laugh or cry.

A few days ago, I discussed my Aadhaar woes with a friend of mine, who said matter-of-factly, “You have spent all your life in uniform serving in the Defence Services, so you don’t know anything about the outside world. In India, you cannot get anything done unless you pay a bribe.”

I was aghast.

“Do you have to pay a bribe for an Aadhaar Card?”

At first I did not believe my friend.

But then I read a news report that an Aadhaar enroller had been caught taking bribes for making Aadhaar Cards. 

What is worse, media has reported many such Aadhaar Scams where if you paid bribes you could get an Aadhaar Card made even without the necessary documents:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cobrapost-sting-reveals-aadhaar-fraud/article1-1200003.aspx

https://aamjanata.com/cobrapost-exposes-rampant-corruption-in-uid-aadhaar-cards/

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Aadhaar-card-scam-unearthed-in-Hyderabad/articleshow/12888048.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Aadhaar-scam-did-not-stop-with-kingpin/articleshow/12916396.cms

If corruption is rampant in the Aadhaar Enrolment System, it is no wonder that even illegal immigrants who are not citizens of India are being issued Aadhaar Cards, as frequent news reports say:

21 ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT WITH AADHAAR CARDS

http://www.myaadhaarcard.in/aadhaar-news/21-illegal-bangladeshi-immigrants-caught-with-aadhar-and-voter-card/

DO NOT ISSUE AADHAAR CARDS TO ILLEGALIMMIGRANTS, SUPREME COURT TELL GOVERNMENT

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/don-t-issue-aadhar-cards-to-illegal-immigrants-supreme-court-tells-centre-422374

DO YOU HAVE TO PAY A BRIBE TO GET AADHAAR CARD?

The Government keeps saying that Aadhaar Card is voluntary.

But in actual fact they are making it compulsory by making Aadhaar mandatory for LPG subsidized cylinders and other requirements.

A retired defence officer told me that soon veteran armed forces ex-servicemen of the army navy and air force will not be able to avail medical treatment under ECHS unless they had an Aadhaar Card.

The more they make anything compulsory, the more the scope for corruption.

Will the virus of corruption infect the UIDAI Aadhaar System too?

The UIDAI was headed by Mr. Nandan Nilekani, a distinguished technocrat who has achieved outstanding success in the IT Industry (at the time of writing this article).

My repeated efforts at obtaining an Aadhaar Card in an honest manner have failed, so let me ask UIDAI a simple question: “Do I have to pay a bribe to get an Aadhaar Card?”

Now that the UIDAI is headless, I want to ask the same question to the new government?

Or will the UIDAI send me my Aadhaar Card at the earliest?

Sometimes I laugh at the irony of our system:

A Military Veteran, who is a bonafide citizen of India with impeccable antecedents, and who has served the nation in uniform for his entire career life, is denied an Aadhaar Card, while media reports that large numbers of illegal immigrants who are not citizens of India are being issued Aadhaar Cards

I do not know whether to laugh or cry at our system of governance.

Please give me “Aadhaar”  ...

AADHAAR FIASCO - SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF ISSUING AADHAAR CARDS TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

AADHAAR FIASCO  

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF ISSUING AADHAAR CARDS TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS 

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE 

ARE AADHAAR CARDS BEING ISSUED TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS?

Yesterday, the media reported that the Supreme Court had asked the government not to issue Aadhaar Cards to illegal immigrants.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/don-t-issue-aadhar-cards-to-illegal-immigrants-supreme-court-tells-centre-422374

It has been reported in the media that the Supreme Court said that Aadhaar can only be issued to those with proven Indian nationality. The Supreme Court frowned upon the unique identity numbers being issued without verifying the antecedents of individuals and said that if anyone applies for Aadhaar card, then you have to verify whether he is a citizen of India or not and directed that Aadhaar cards cannot be issued to illegal migrants.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Aadhaars-purpose-in-doubt-as-SC-says-its-not-mandatory/articleshow/22960981.cms

I wonder why the Supreme Court had to issue such a directive.

Does the need for such a directive imply that Aadhaar Cards were being issued to illegal immigrants who are not citizens of India?

If Aadhaar Cards have been issued to illegal immigrants, is this not a huge security lapse?

Because, using their Aadhaar Cards, illegal immigrants can:

1. Open Bank Accounts using their Aadhaar Cards. They can use the bank passbook a Proof of Identity (POI) and Proof of Address (POA).

2. Obtain various official documents using their Aadhaar Cards like Ration Cards, Voter ID Cards, PAN, Driving License etc which serve as Proof of Identity (POI) and Proof of Address (POA).

Using the above Proof of Identity (POI) and Proof of Address (POA) documents, an illegal immigrant can obtain an Indian Passport and become a citizen of India.

I hope there is no proposal to give Passports based on Aadhaar Cards, as this will make it even easier for illegal immigrants to become citizens of India.

Did the powers-that-be not anticipate the security implications of giving Aadhaar to non-citizens and illegal immigrants?

INTRODUCER SYSTEM OF ENROLMENT FOR AADHAAR

There is a glaring loophole in the Aadhaar enrolment system called “introducer system” which facilitates illegal immigrants to easily obtain Aadhaar Cards.

Citizens of India are required to furnish documentary proofs for establishing Proof of Identity (POI) and Proof of Address (POA) at the time of enrolment for Aadhaar.

On the other hand, illegal immigrants can take recourse to the “introducer system” where they can be “introduced” for an Aadhaar number by an “introducer”. Thus, illegal immigrants are not required to furnish any Proof of Identity (POI) or Proof of Address (POA) documents.

The requirements to be an introducer are quite vague and loosely defined.

You need not be a government officer to become an “introducer”.

Any local “influencer” can become an “introducer”.

This is huge security risk – whereas government employees can be held accountable for lapses and wrongdoings, can any action be taken against “introducers” who fraudulently facilitate illegal immigrants to get Aadhaar Cards?

Making it easy for illegal immigrants, which may include undesirable anti-national and anti-social elements, to get Aadhaar Cards is thus fraught with serious implications for our national security.

Media has reported from time to time that illegal immigrants have been found with Aadhaar Cards:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/15-illegal-Bangladeshi-migrants-held-one-with-Aadhaar-card/Article1-988057.aspx

However, I wonder what corrective action has been taken by UIDAI to ensure that illegal immigrants are not enrolled for Aadhaar.

Also, has any action been taken to cancel the Aadhaar Cards of illegal immigrants?

It is surprising that UIDAI did not realize the security implications of making Aadhaar accessible to illegal immigrants.

It has required the intervention of the Supreme Court to direct the UIDAI to correct this serious lapse which has implications on our national security.

In addition to the security risk, issuing Aadhaar cards to illegal immigrants will enable them to fraudulently benefit from various Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes which are meant for Indian Citizens and these subsidies are funded by the Indian Tax Payer.

Why should Indian taxpayers pay for the welfare of illegal immigrants?

WAY AHEAD

1. Firstly, the “introducer” system of Aadhaar enrolment must be immediately stopped. Aadhaar must be issued only after proper verification of Proof of Identity (POI) and Proof of Address (POA) as per the prescribed documents.

2. Secondly, UIDAI must immediately cancel all Aadhaar Cards issued under the “introducer” system. All these persons must be asked to re-enroll for Aadhaar with proper verification of POI and POA.

3. Thirdly, UIDAI must stop outsourcing of Aadhaar enrolment work to private agencies. In view of the national security implications, Aadhaar enrolment must be handled by government agencies who can be held accountable.

SECURITY CONSCIOUSNESS

One of the reasons why India is considered a “Soft State” is due our lack of security consciousness, as is evident from the loose implementation of the Aadhaar Scheme.

We are already paying a heavy price for our lackadaisical approach to security issues.

It is the patriotic duty of UIDAI to take immediate corrective action to ensure that illegal immigrants, many of whom may be inimical to our national interest, do not fraudulently exploit and take undue advantage of the Aadhaar Scheme which is meant for Indian Citizens.

PIPED LPG COOKING GAS CONFUSION IN PUNE

PUNE REAL ESTATE TIPS

AVOID PIPED LPG GAS HOMES 

Two years ago, we moved into a residential complex with Piped LPG Cooking Gas Facility. It was very convenient and everything was okay till the Government announced the 6 Cylinder LPG Cylinder Cap sometime in September 2012. Suddenly everything changed and confusion started. I wrote this post below in early October 2012. Now things have gone even worse. There is so much confusion in the paperwork and the billing procedure that the LPG Supplier has discontinued supply of gas.

In Systems Engineering there is a dictum: If a System is running fine do not tinker with it. 

The LPG System was running fine. 

If the powers-that-be wanted to change the system, they could have made gradual incremental changes, but they suddenly made a huge abrupt change of enforcing the 6 LPG Cylinder Cap which has put the system in disarray and the resulting confusion is causing all sorts of harassment to the common man (aam aadmi).

I have highlighted just one problem. There are many more. I hope the government reviews its decision and restores status quo ante 

Till then, it is best to avoid Piped LPG Cooking Gas Homes, at least in Pune.

ARE YOU THINKING OF BUYING A HOUSE IN PUNE

AVOID A PROJECT WITH PIPED LPG COOKING GAS

By

VIKRAM KARVE

In recent times, many builders in Pune offer Piped LPG Cooking Gas Facility in their residential projects.

In the Piped Gas System, or Reticulated LPG System as it is called, domestic cooking gas cylinders are supplied in bulk to the “Gas Bank” of the residential housing colony and consequently to the customer’s kitchen through a pipeline network connected to the cylinder bank in the residential society premises.

This is a much more efficient, economical, safe, reliable, logistically convenient, cost-effective method of supplying cooking gas rather than each apartment having individual gas cylinders, and, most importantly, it saves precious LPG.

Obviously, buying a house in such a residential complex having piped gas costs more since the builder has to set up the infrastructure (gas banks, gas pipelines, safety valves, meters etc) and he is going to pass on the cost to the buyer. In addition, there are annual maintenance costs as well which you will have to pay the society.

I too bought a home in one such project, and I must say that, as compared to having individual cylinders in each house, I found that piped gas is extremely hassle-free and convenient and the system was running efficiently.

So, though one had to pay more for a house in a society with piped gas, at that point of time, it seemed worth it, at least in the long run. 

Hence, most consumers surrendered their earlier LPG connections and opted for the piped gas facility.

Now, due a sudden absurd change in policy by the government and oil companies, these hapless consumers have realized that they made a big mistake by switching over to piped gas.

Why?

Here are some questions and answers:

Q: If there are 300 households in a residential society using LPG Piped Gas, what are the number of Gas Connections?

A: 300

Q: With a cap of 6 subsidized cylinders per connection per year how many subsidized cylinders would the society be entitled per year?

A: 300 X 6 = 1800

You may get bewildered and dumbfounded when I tell you that, as per the government’s bizarre logic, both your answers are wrong.

Here are the “right” answers:

1. The entire housing society comprising 300 households will be treated as One Connection (though basic commonsense says that each household must be treated as one connection and 300 households rightly add up to 300 connections)

2. This means that only 6 subsidized LPG cylinders will be given to 300 consumers (instead of 1800) in one year.

Isn’t this a preposterous policy which defies logic?

Owing to this ridiculous policy, the monthly piped gas bill is going to triple (increase by 300%) since a you cannot avail of subsidized cylinders (yes, your bill will be almost three times your present bill since an unsubsidized cylinder now costs more that Rs. 900 as compared to the earlier cost of Rs. 400).

And now that LPG has been de-controlled, Oil Companies will keep raising the price of LPG frequently and your piped gas bill will soon sky-rocket and become so expensive that it will become unaffordable. 

Thus, sooner of later, you will be forced to discontinue your piped gas and revert back to your earlier individual LPG cylinder system, because if you do that, then you will be entitled to six subsidized cylinders every year. As customers start discontinuing piped gas due to exorbitantly high costs, supplying piped gas will become financially non-viable and this will lead to piped gas companies shutting down.

Instead of encouraging the use of Piped Gas which is safer, economical, logistically efficient and saves precious LPG, it is incomprehensible and baffling why the government is taking the retrograde step of forcing consumers to go back to individual cylinders.

Leave aside the efficiency, safety and convenience aspects of piped gas but just look at the wastage of time, money, effort and fuel involved in servicing individual LPG cylinders as compared to piped gas.

Instead of the gas truck coming just once a week to replenish the gas bank, the gas truck will now have to come almost every day to supply individual refill cylinders to each of the 300 households.

And, going by news reports, in the city of Pune alone, this wastage is going to replicated in over 350 residential societies which have piped gas systems.

(With each residential society having 200 – 300 households on the average, just imagine the colossal waste of diesel fuel, increase in pollution and traffic due to increased vehicular movement of gas trucks, avoidable increase in consumption of scarce LPG, compromise in safety, inconvenience to the customer and unnecessary burden of logistic effort to the distributor)

What a colossal waste due to a ludicrous decision by some incompetent “babu” sitting faraway in Delhi.

Bureaucracies tend to be stubborn and are averse to changing their decisions, however specious, absurd and illogical those decisions may be.

So you can forget about better sense prevailing on the government and oil companies.

In the circumstances, what can you do?

Simple.

Just avoid buying a house in a project fitted with a piped gas system.

Why pay extra for something you are never going to use?

Dear Reader: Are you too facing a problem because of the 6 LPG Cylinder Cap? Please comment and let us know - I look forward to your views and feedback.