Aadhaar centres flout rules, charge extra for making changes

Nizamabad: The Aadhaar centres in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts have become the abodes of irregularities with many of the operators working from homes covertly and robbing people, especially the beedi works.

The Aadhaar centre operators are carrying out large scale exploitation of beedi workers who are approaching these centres to modify their birth details in their Aadhaar cards. These centres are charging anywhere between Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per person and making over lakhs of easy money, that too with the alleged help from managers of beedi factories.

Due to illiteracy and lack of awareness, many beedi workers have registered their Provident Fund and Aadhaar details with two different birth dates. However, the workers birth date in their Aadhaar should be in accordance with their PF account details. According to PF officials, with two different birth dates, workers would face trouble getting the PF money when they resign. With this, the confused workers have been approaching the beedi factory managers, who in turn are cheating the gullible workers by joining hands with the Aadhaar centre operators.

Earlier, the beedi factory owners entered into an agreement with the Aadhaar centres and agreed to pay Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 for changing the date of birth in Aadhaar cards of workers. However, the factory managers are exploiting a large number of beedi workers and collecting Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for the changes to be made in Aadhaar.

Although there are 64 Aadhaar centres across the district, only a few are resorting to irregularities. The Aadhaar centres in Dharpally, Indalwai and Dichpalli mandals in Nizamabad rural constituency are reported to be resorting to irregularities with the operators of these centres joining hands with beedi factory managers.

According to rules, the equipment used for Aadhaar registration should not be taken to other places and Aadhaar registration should be done at the designated centres. Flouting all these norms, the operators are covertly carrying out irregularities by taking Aadhaar registering equipment to undisclosed locations and making the corrections in the Aadhaar cards of beedi workers without an iota of fear and responsibility. Of late, these practices have become common in Bhimgal, Armoor, Nandipet and Bhainsa.

Recently, Aadhaar centre operators at the Bank of Baroda branch in the district headquarters were caught red-handed by the authorities concerned. Upon inquiring, they came to know that the centre operator has collected large sums of money from beedi workers for change of name and date of birth in their Aadhaar cards. The centre operator was fined Rs 50,000 for his illegal work.

Earlier due to similar rampant irregularities, the government had ordered relocation of Aadhaar centre from private premises to the Tahsildar offices. However, 80 per cent of these centre still work from private premises. Further it is alleged that the Tahsildars and other officials concerned are remaining as mute spectators to the entire scandal and even some of them are hand in glove with the operators for the easy money.

"It has come to our attention that the Aadhaar officials are charging more money for changing the date of birth in the Aadhaar cards of Bidi workers. We have already seized some centres and warned the rest of them against resorting to irregularities. Strict action would be taken against those who flout the rules and carryout the work illegally and covertly," said Karthik, E-District Manager, Nizamabad.