Aadhaar center staff fleece applicants

Rajendranagar: As election time is fast approaching in the State, footfalls at Aadhaar updation centers have increased, for inclusion and omissionin names and date of births, both in the electoral and Aadhaar cards, especially in the suburban areas.

However, taking advantage of the distressed public approaching for updations, the staff at Aadhaar updation centers - established by the agencies working under the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), especially in the City outskirts are reportedly fleecing the people by charging them exorbitantly against the fixed amount.

Because an insufficient number of updation centers exist in the Rajendranagar area, the staff is reportedly demanding an excess amount for corrections in the Aadhaar card. It is said that the staff at these centers are charging anywhere between Rs 800-1200 for name and date of birth updation as against the fixed amount of Rs 50 per entry.

The same came to light on Monday when a complaint was raised with UIDAI against the alleged exploitation in the Aadhaar updation center at Canara Bank Shivrampally, under the Rajendranagar region.

"I approached the Aadhaar enrolment center at Shivrampally in October for a change in date of birth, only for it to be canceled. When I requested one of the staff members at the center for a way out, he asked me to pay Rs 800, for which I paid Rs 300 on the spot as I did not have any more cash, a while later, I paid the remaining Rs 500 to get my work done," said Ismail Baig, a resident of Uttepally, Bahadurpura.

This is not the only case in which people are found fleeced by the staff of Aadhaar Enrolment Centers, especially in the City's peripheral areas, because, every so often, reports of people being cheated by the team at these centers are emerging time to time.

"People up to the age of 15, need not pay any fee for new Aadhaar enrolments. However, a fee of Rs 50 is applicable only in case of updations like the correction in the name, date of birth, and mobile number. Apart from this Rs 100 will be charged for biometric updation," informed an official working for an agency under the supervision of UIDAI.