Aadhaar will be the lifeline of citizens in Karnataka

The Karnataka government is all set to issue an order to link all its services with the Unique Identity Number (UID) which will be allotted to citizens in the coming months.

Once the order is issued, the UID will be almost compulsory to avail services offered by the state government like public distribution system, gas connection, driving licence or voter ID.

Sources in the government told DNA that the e-governance wing of the department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR) had submitted a proposal in this regard to the state government. Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who holds the DPAR portfolio, would soon issue an
order.

Dropping enough hints on the issue, MN Vidya Shankar, principal secretary, department of e-governance, said that the government was considering linking all its services with the UID numbers. “Details of the proposal will be revealed only after a specific order is issued by the state government,” he said.

Ashok Dalwai, deputy director general, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), said that the authority could make the UID mandatory as availing the facility was voluntary from the Aadhaar programme point of view.

“However, service providers like the state government, banks and mobile companies can come up with a rule to make the UID compulsory for its customers,” he said.
Vidya Shankar said that the citizens and the government would be in a win-win situation with the UID in use as it establishes a foolproof system.

“A rough estimate says that by making UID compulsory for PDS alone, the state government can save Rs50 crore every month, which is now going unaccountable,” he said.

“And as far the beneficiaries under the PDS are considered, they will not be cheated if UID is made mandatory.  Malpractices in the services can also be avoided,” said Vidya Shankar.