Common man forced to go through a nightmarish time for Aadhaar cards
There was virtual bedlam in hundreds of Aadhaar enrolment centres across the State on Tuesday with thousands of people thronging them for registering their names under the Unique Identification Number scheme.
Serpentine queues were witnessed outside the centres as people scrambled to get the cards before February 15, the deadline for obtaining Aadhaar cards.
Without these cards, the consumers will forfeit the government’s subsidy on domestic gas cylinders.
In spite of the public furore in the form of ‘rasta roko’ and demonstrations over the past few days over the State government’s apathy in catering to the rush of applicants, the officialdom was caught completely unprepared even on Tuesday.
This was evident from the fact that sufficient number of application forms was not available at the enrolment centres in spite of the rush.
There was chaos as adequate number of recording machines was also not positioned for registering applicants using biometric and Iris technologies. Moreover, capturing digital photographs of the applicants turned out to be time consuming.
Closure of several centres without notice turned out to be another irritant for applicants as they were forced to scurry for the nearest centres where the registration process was on.
Working men and women complained that they had to apply for a day’s leave to submit their applications, but returned home without getting their work done.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy who was in New Delhi requested the Centre to extend the deadline for Aadhaar-linked LPG cylinders in the State capital and neighbouring Ranga Reddy by at least two months.
The request came in the light of the Civil Supplies department expressing total inability to complete enrolment before the deadline.
Mr. Reddy directed the officials to open 200 more centres for enrolment, in addition to 210 functioning and assured consumers that the Centre would come out with a favourable decision in a day or two. Chief Secretary Minnie Mathew took up the issue with Petroleum Ministry secretary on his directions.
It was alomost 22 months completed in Andhra pradesh since the first Aadhar card was issued. When the Aadhar card was relaeased by the Govt of India, they are unable to create the awareness to the people for what purposes the same will be used and also some statements are made that the card is not mandatory requirment.
Now the Govt controlled oil companies wanted to push this in to the people, in a way this a great for the company and government. However, the basic fact is forgotton by the state and central govt, Is it possible to issue the Aadhar cards to 100 crore population in a limited period of time? Is the states are equipped to deal with this kind situations.
In most of the places, applicants are treated as standing for the free ration. But do we deserve this treatment by the Oil companies, government and our politicians.
I do not think no one is having time to talk about the issues faced by the common man. Too much of anything and everything will yeild negative result.
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