To promote Aadhaar usage by states, the Unique Identification Authority of India’s (UIDAI) Guwahati regional office organised a state level workshop on ‘Deriving Maximum Impact out of Aadhaar’ here on March 7.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhiraj Sareen, Deputy Director General of the UIDAI regional office, highlighted the significance and implications of Aadhaar as a tool for empowerment and a symbol of inclusivity.
Commenting on the initiative launched in 2009, he stated that Aadhaar aims to provide every individual with a unique, verifiable identity. He further brought out how this has been instrumental in ensuring that even the most marginalised have access to various government services, subsidies and benefits. He assured UIDAI’s continuous support to the state for improving ‘Ease of Living’ in Meghalaya.
Addressing the audience, the chief guest for the workshop, Meghalaya’s Additional Chief Secretary Shakil P Ahammed, lauded Aadhaar’s role in streamlining direct benefit transfers (DBTs) for genuine beneficiaries.
Joram Beda, Commissioner and Secretary, said that officials are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that even residents of difficult to reach remote corners of the state are enrolled. Special Aadhaar enrolment camps have been set up in inaccessible areas, schools and anganwadi centres to ramp up efforts to cover the majority of population within a stipulated period of time.
Meghalayans have been somewhat reticent in getting Aadhaar cards, with numerous conspiracy theories and privacy fears being the chief causes. As recently as 2022, only less than 60 per cent of the population had an Aadhaar card, making the state the worst in terms of coverage in the country, though enrolment is improving.
