Despite facing problems and challenges in militancy-hit regions of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Aadhaar enrolment has touched over 73 per cent in the troubled state.

As per the states latest figures till 31 January, 2018, Aadhaar enrolment for all age groups has reached 73.48 per cent, thanks to different strategies adopted to get the enrollments done.

“The topology of J&K is not like the any other state. It is difficult because most of the areas in the state touch the Pakistan border form west and China from east. Besides geographical challenges, the entire state especially Kashmir is a sensitive area. Due care is required before issuing an Aadhaar card. So it has no way been easy to get Aadhaar enrolments done,” said a senior official in the Unique Identification Authorityof India’s (UIDAI) regional office in Chandigarh, requesting not to be named.

The official said the enrolment process was being done by the Registrar General of India (RGI) till 2016 by updating Aadhaar card details in the national population register (NPR). About 88.5 lakh Aadhaar were already generated by NPR till December 2016. This work was subsequently handed over to UIDAI and the authority has now taken up the full responsibility of Aadhaar enrollment in J&K.

“The biggest challenge was to get the enrollment of children of age group between 0-5 and 5 to 18. Most parts of the state are militancy hit. Besides it, many of the areas are remote from the Aadhaar enrolment centers. So it’s difficult to bring young children to Aadhaar enrollment centers. So UIDAI has taken the initiative to go near to the people rather people coming to the enrolment centers,” the official said.

He said for this UIDAI has appointed project director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and mission director Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) as registrars for Aadhaar enrolment in the schools and Aanganwadi centers respectively. To fulfill this target 1,000 Aanganwadi centers have been chosen in different districts of the state.

According to UIDAI data till date, 407 Aanganwadi workers and 244 school teachers were specially trained for the purpose. The target is to train 1,400 Aanganwadi workers so that young children below five years of age, who don’t go to school, get enrolled for Aadhaar in their respective village at the centers. The same goes for the school children as their enrolment will be done at the concerned school.

To approach 18 and above age groups we made contacts with different nationalised and co-operative banks in the state, the official said.

Senior UIDAI officials said when it comes to Aadhaar, “there is no problem of acceptance but due to lack of knowledge people were ignorant about the benefits they get by enrolling for Aadhaar. But once they understand the whole procedure, they come forward to make it.”