Baal Aadhaar registration starts in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Thursday launched ‘Baal Aadhaar’ registration under the Digital India initiative to facilitate 100 per cent (pc) enrollment in the 0-5 years age group. The facility will be available in 82 government hospitals, including medical colleges and hospitals, district headquarters hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals in the first phase.
As part of the initiative, all newborns will be enrolled without biometrics. The Baal Aadhaar also has a 12 digit unique identification number like that of adults. Their unique identification number will be processed on the basis of demographic information and facial photographs linked with the UID of their parents.
Health department said birth registration of newborns will be done by linking the Aadhaar or mobile number of his/her parents. The child will get both the birth registration and Aadhaar card at the same time. This will help access government services in a hassle free manner.
Director of health intelligence and vital statistics Dr Sanjukta Sahoo advised parents to contact the hospital where their child is born to obtain Baal Aadhaar. One of the parents must have an Aadhaar number for Baal Aadhaar registration of their child. Registration within 21 days of birth is free, she said.
The Baal Aadhaar registration was launched at Capital Hospital where five newborns were enrolled on the first day. The children having Baal Aadhaar will have to update their biometrics of 10 fingers, iris and facial photograph two times - when they turn five and 15 years. The Centre has provisioned Child Enrollment Lite Client (CELC) kits for Aadhaar linked birth registration of 0-5 years children. Financial assistance of Rs 1.98 crore for procurement of one CELC kit has also been provided.
Although the overall Aadhaar saturation in the five plus age group in Odisha is among the best in the country, the achievement is less than 50 pc in the 0-5 years age group. The Aadhaar enrollment is around 97 pc among five years plus age group and around 30 lakh children of 0-5 years are left for enrollment.
“The Baal Aadhaar enrollment facility will be available at 250 delivery points, including all DHHs and some CHCs and PHCs in the next phase,” Dr Sahoo added. Meanwhile, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has decided to allow citizens to update documents in their Aadhaar online free of cost for the next three months.