Shocker : 600 Million Aadhaar Card By 2014

Nandan Nilekani, chairman of UIDAI proclaimed in Washington on Tuesday to provide Aadhaar card to more than half of India's present population by the year 2014 and nearly 1 out of 3 Indians by end of 2013. Nilekani communicated to Washington audience that every Indian resident will get unique number & Adhaar card that has biometric information of the individual, however still it would take few more years to accomplish this aspiring project.

This project has already issued identification number to more than 380 million people, said Nilekani, while conveying the 8th annual Richard H Sabot Speech on "technology to leapfrog Development: The Aadhaar Card Experience" hosted by the centre for global development.

Nilekani also spoke about his goal to reach 400 million this year while 600 million by 2014 and also informed that UIDAI has enrolled 380 million of 1.2 billion Indian people till date. Unique identification number is now accepted as "AN INTERNAL PASSPORT GATEWAY" to assorted services for Indians. Nilekani says that by working in collaboration with different regulators, they have made sure that this ID proof is sufficient to avail other services.

This card enables the individual to get hassle free and quick services. Individuals have now started seeing this ID as a gateway to different services which cover the ambitious direct cash transfer scheme offered by the Government of India. However to accomplish this, it would take next five years. Nilekani says, they aim that each Indian is equipped with such card so that they face no problem while availing services, which they face at present. This card itself is an identification of an individual which would act as an internal passport gateway.