UIDAI plans to link birth and death data through temporary Aadhar cards for newborns
As part of the Aadhar project, the Unique Identification Authority of India ( UIDAI ) is about to launch two ambitious pilot programs.
As a result, newborns will soon be given a temporary Aadhar number, which will be upgraded with biometric data when they reach majority, top officials told Economic Times.
By using Aadhaar numbers of deceased citizens, the program intends to integrate its data with death registration records to prevent misappropriation of government benefits.
Pilot programs are expected to begin soon, according to officials. UIDAI plans to use Aadhar to track a person’s entire life cycle from birth to death with this initiative. According to a government official quoted above, the allocation of a UIDAI number at birth will ensure that all children and their families can take advantage of government programmes and be covered by social security.
At least five years old is the minimum age for taking biometrics for children. After that period, we can visit these families and register their biometrics, as well as assign them a permanent Aadhaar number, said a senior official.
Linking Aadhar data with birth and death records as well as linking the data with public and private hospitals is intended to stop direct benefit transfers from leaking. Further, once a child turns 18, biometrics should be re-registered as the parameters will stabilise by then and stay the same throughout the child’s life, the official added, adding that this will also prevent the generation of multiple IDs for the same child.
Over 93% of Indian adults in the 5-18 age group have been issued with Aadhaar numbers since launch, but only a quarter of the country’s infants under five are registered.
In addition, UIDAI plans to approach public and private hospitals for data on deceased people to ensure there are no duplicates.