Diwakar Sharma diwakar. sharma@ mid- day. com IF you thought Aadhaar cards were fool proof, think again.
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While news reports have often highlighted this in the city and suburbs, mid- day has more proof of the unique identification numberu2019s vulnerability, this time in Thane.
The Unique Identification Authority of India ( UIDAI) has set up exclusive ASKs as a single stop destination for all Aadhaar services for residents, but illegal private Aadhaar centres still operate in Thane.
Barely 100 metres away, is u2018 Baba Aadhaar Centre,u2019 whose owner Anil Sonawane updates Aadhaar cards for a fee, without checking relevant documents. Customers prefer to visit his shop as they donu2019t have to wait in long queues to update their UIDAI cards.
At Baba Aadhaar Centre, one can update his/ her address after giving Sonawane an affidavit which is illegal, as per the rule of UIDAI. Illegal centres make a killing u201c You will have to pay R 400 if you only want to change/ update the mobile number. If you want to change the address in your Aadhaar card, you need to pay R 500. For this, you need to give me a notarised proof mentioning your address,u201d Sonawane said on January 4 while talking to this reporter.
When this reporter asked him if the address can be updated if an affidavit is given, Sonawane nodded and said, u201c If you donu2019t have address proof, get an affidavit of your address but you need to pay R 1,000.u201d The real charge for updating an Aadhaar card is R 50.
u201c I will also give you one Smart cardwala Aadhaar card and paperwala Aadhar card.
You donu2019t need to visit anywhere.
Ye sab 1,000 rupaye mein ho jayega ( All this in R 1,000),u201d added Sonawane.
He said he has been using the machines ( to update Aadhaar cards) for which he has to u201c pay a commission.u201d u201c Also, there are two operators at my shop and I pay each R 12,000. The rent of this shop is R 15,000. I am not overcharging. I have to run the shop, too,u201d Sonawane said.
When mid- day asked if he also makes a fresh Aadhaar card if one does not have address proof, Sonawane got suspicious and said, u201c Dukaan par lekar aao.u201d Balaji Consultancy and Services opposite Lokmanya Nagar bus depot in Thane, has also been making and updating Aadhaar cards.
The shopkeeper said, u201c We charge R 300 for updating the mobile number in your Aadhaar card. You can visit my shop next week.u201d He justified the high charge saying, u201c Ye private Aadhaar centre hai, government ka nahi. Yaha 300 rupaye lagte hain. [ This is not a government centre, this is a private Aadhaar centre]u201d u2018 Smart cardwala Aadhaar and paperwala Aadhaar, all for R 1,000u2019 In spite of the govt ban on all private bodies accepting documents to make Aadhaar cards, tiny illegal shops offering Aadhaar services for high prices thrive in Thane Charges at Aadhaar Service Kendra UIDAI has defined charges to be paid by any resident wishing to avail Aadhaar Services at any Aadhaar Seva Kendra of their choice. These are: u00a3 Aadhaar enrolment u2013 Free u00a3 Mandatory biometric update for kids ( from age 5 to 15) u2013 Free u00a3 Any demographic or biometric update by residents u2013 R 50 u00a3 To download Aadhaar and get a colour print u2013 R 30 These charges are inclusive of any applicable taxes.
Residents can make the payment at the cash counters at ASK or make an online payment ( to be launched soon) at the time of booking an online appointment on the UIDAI website.
Balaji Consultancy and Services, another private Aadhaar centre at Lokmanya Nagar in Thane.
( right) the shopkeeper at Balaji Consultancy and Services.
PICS/ Rajesh Gupta Sonawaneu2019s shop where he charges R 1,000 to make an Aadhaar card. PICS/ Rajesh Gupta Government- approved Aadhaar Service Kendras non- functional This reporter also visited government- approved ASKs in private banks, but none of them were functional. This could be one of the reasons why many people prefer to approach the tiny illegal shops to get Aadhaar cards or to make changes in them.
IndusInd bank, Ghodbunder Road 12: 20pm, January 4 A banker here said the staffer concerned was unwell and all work related to Aadhaar card updation was on hold until he resumed work. Interestingly, he also said there was no token system there. u201c There is no token system to queue up for updating Aadhaar cards. You can come between 10.30 am and 4 pm on a working day and the person concerned, when he resumes, will help you,u201d he said.
ICICI bank, Ghodbunder Road 12: 35 pm, January 4 While the private Aadhaar card centresu2019 rented machines seem to be working all right, here midday was told the machine had not been functioning for two weeks. Deputy Branch Manager Anju Goswami said she had informed the Reserve Bank of India about it. u201c It will take another 10- 15 days to update the Aadhaar card here. You can visit nearby banks,u201d Goswami said.
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Vasant Vihar Branch 1: 40 pm, January 4 Here a banker said, u201c You need to visit the bank at 10 am when we hand out tokens to those who want to update their Aadhaar card. We issue only 25 tokens a day and the quota for todayu2019s tokens is over. Please come back tomorrow.u201d The queries mailed to General Manager, Media Communications and Public Outreach, UIDAI, Vikash Shukla, remain unanswered.
u2018 You will have to pay ' 400 if you only want to change/ update the mobile number. If you want to change the address in your Aadhaar card, you need to pay ' 500u2019 Anil Sonawane, Baba Aadhaar Centre
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