AADHAAR building. (IANS File Photo)
Dimapur, September 16 (MExN): Addressing various concerns on issues relating to sharing of Aadhaar and related data amongst government departments, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has issued clarifications for the benefit of user government departments.
According to the clarification which was issued through the state DIPR on Friday, an Office Memorandum issued by the UIDAI on October 27, 2021 clarified that different Ministries and Departments of the Government of India, can be treated as a single entity, i.e. the “Central Government” for effective formulation of various government schemes and selection of beneficiaries.
Similarly, as per the provisions of Article 166(3) of the Constitution of India, different departments of a State Government can be treated as a single entity—the State Government—for effective formulation of various government schemes and selection of beneficiaries.
However, in terms of sharing Aadhar and related data amongst government departments, “a separate consent of the beneficiary must be taken by the implementing State Government department at the time of final delivery of subsidy, benefit, and service.”
It also referred to Para 5 of the OM which stipulated that the various provisions of the Aadhaar Act and Regulations should be complied with and the identity information is used or disclosed only for purposes informed in writing to the Aadhaar number holder.
Further, it clarified that Aadhaar and related data can be shared amongst different departments of the Central Government, or State Government, as the case may be, considering that these are to be treated as a single entity.
“Further, demographic information (name, date of birth, gender & address of residence) and photograph of beneficiaries, along with partially masked Aadhaar can be shared between Centre and State Governments and States inter-se,” it said.
However, in case the Aadhar holder has signed the consent ‘form for intimation of purposes for prospective data sharing,’ as per Annexure to OM dated December 6, 2021, the full Aadhaar number can be shared between Centre and State or States inter-se (between or among themselves), it added.
