Now, Aadhaar link to passports.

BS Post: 121 , Dated : 19 September, 2014, Mumbai. 

The ambitious Aadhaar project received a boost on Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling ministries that passports be linked to Aadhaar data in order to prevent duplication of work and ensure maximum utilisation of the collected information.

According to the note from a meeting on Aadhaar, chaired by Modi on September 6, the PMO has said passports in the country should be linked to the Aadhaar number so as to utilise the biometric data collected under it. The Passport Authority of India falls within the Ministry of External Affairs.

Sources said the idea is to avoid “duplication of work”, given both Aadhaar and the Passport Authority of India currently collect biometric data. The practice of mandatory collection of biometrics before the issuance of a passport was started a few years ago. “Since Aadhaar already has biometric data of around 67 crore people, it does not make sense for the Passport Authority to do the same work again when someone applies for a passport.” said an official.

This will also ensure a better verification process since the biometrics through Aadhaar would help trace details about the person.

Currently, the biometrics collected during the issuance of a passport are not utilised further.

The cabinet recently set an Aadhaar enrolment target of 100 crore by the end of next year. The Indian Express had reported on July 7 that the government was looking into the possibility of linking passports with the Aadhaar number.

In another indication of the government’s intention to take Aadhaar and the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme further, the note  also says the PMO has directed the Planning Commission to conduct meetings with states and UTs to inform them of the findings of its review report on the current status of Aadhaar.

In July this year, the PMO had asked the plan panel to gather information about Aadhaar with respect to the beneficiaries of five key government schemes in 300 priority districts. The schemes are  MGNREGA, pensions, scholarships, Public Distribution System and LPG. The plan panel was also asked to assess the status of the number of beneficiaries enrolled under Aadhaar as well as those whose accounts are seeded with it and those who have been left out of the process.

At the September 6 meeting, the PM also directed the Home Ministry to enroll prisoners under Aadhaar.