Ensure 100% Aadhaar enrolment of children: Punjab chief secretary

Punjab chief secretary KAP Sinha on Friday directed all departments, including banks and the department of post, to maximise the use of available resources for Aadhaar enrolment of all children in the 0-5 age group across the state.

Chairing a meeting-cum-workshop of the unique identification implementation committee (UIDIC) on Aadhaar usage here, Sinha made an appeal to people to update the biometrics of their children in Aadhaar for hassle-free access to services. The session, attended by heads and directors of various departments, underscored the importance of achieving 100% Aadhaar penetration for children in the 0-5 age group across the state.

UIDAI’s Chandigarh regional office deputy director general Bhawna Garg suggested deploying Aadhaar kits at immunisation centres and facilitating collaboration between the health department and the department of women and child development (WCD) for better coverage.

Additionally, she urged the school education department to create a detailed action plan to identify children who require mandatory biometric updates (MBUs) at the ages of 5 and 15. “This will ensure smooth access to government schemes, scholarships, and educational benefits,” she added. The workshop also presented case studies of how Aadhaar-based face authentication can be leveraged to improve service delivery.

Garg encouraged departments to integrate face authentication into their schemes for greater efficiency. The chief secretary instructed that Aadhaar service camps be organised in all government and private schools to provide easier access for students. Sinha also emphasised the need to promote the m-Aadhaar application and My-Aadhaar Portal to ensure citizens can easily avail themselves of Aadhaar services.