The central government has sanctioned Rs 2000 crore for the setting up of Aadhaar centres in post offices across the country.
Aadhaar enrolment and updation facilities will be set up in around 15,000 post offices by March 31 next year. As many as 5000 post offices will start providing the facility by December this year, says this report by The Times of India.
Machines approved by the Unique Identification Authority of India will be kept at the post offices and banks along with trained personnel.
It has come at a time when multiple complaints of corruption by private vendors and data leak were registered. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had asked the government to devise at the earliest a scheme to address public concern over leakage of data.
The apex court said that this apprehension of the public has to be assuaged by the government by taking proper measures so that people are confident that there would be no chance of "unauthorised leakage" of data.
In July, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had asked private as well as public banks to open Aadhaar enrolment and updation facilities in one out of 10 branches, and the initial deadline for doing so was August- end.
Last month, the UIDAI gave banks one more month to open Aadhaar enrolment centres in a stipulated 10 per cent of branches, but said it will impose Rs 20,000 as fine per uncovered branch after September 30.
The reprieve was granted as many banks had sought additional time from UIDAI for setting up such facility on their premises.
(With PTI inputs)
