Guwahati, August 28: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that 9.35 lakh people whose Aadhaar cards were stalled for five years even after providing their biometric data during the NRC update process, would now get Aadhaar cards in the next 15 to 20 days.
Addressing mediapersons, the chief minister said that the state government had formally requested the central government to resolve the matter and allow the issuance of Aadhaar cards
“The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had blocked the issuance of Aadhaar cards for 9,35,682 persons when they provided their biometric data between February 2019 and August 2019. However, on July 29, 2024, the Assam government formally requested the central government to issue the Aadhaar cards to these individuals,” Sarma said.
Subsequently, he said that the Centre directed UIDAI on August 27, 2024, to proceed with the Aadhaar issuance for these individuals.
“Even the Aadhaar cards of persons who had their names in the draft NRC and final NRC, were blocked during the six-month period when they provided their biometric data. Hence, we could not establish any correlation between NRC and Aadhaar,” the chief minister said.
“We had taken reports from DCs to establish whether such non-issuance of Aadhaar cards during the period, had any correlation with NRC. But we could thereafter ascertain that there was no such link,” he said.
Asked how long it would take for the UIDAI to issue the Aadhaar cards, the chief minister said, “It might take another 15 to 20 days. The UIDAI will issue a protocol in this regard,” he said.
He further said that these individuals who were deprived of certain central schemes and jobs in the private sector would now be eligible to apply for the same after they get their Aadhaar cards.