No Aadhar here for non-Sikkimese

GANGTOK, 07 Jan: Enrolment for Aadhar cards or UID [Unique Identification] numbers in Sikkim has become more stringent. The State government, through the Directorate of Economics, Statistics, Monitoring and Evaluation, the nodal department for registering and issuing of Aadhar cards, has become more scrupulous in the enrolment procedure.
For one, people from outside the State can no longer enroll for their UID numbers here in Sikkim. That is to say, a resident of another state currently living in Sikkim, but without residential documents, cannot make his/ her UID card here in Sikkim. It has been informed that such persons will have to return to their respective home states if they want to get a UID card made.
It is not just for such people from ‘outside’ for whom making a UID card in Sikkim has become difficult, but even for locals, the process has become more stringent and lengthy with even more documents being required etc. What this now implies is that while earlier, one could get his/her photograph [for the UID Card] taken immediately after filling out the UID form, now the process has been upturned with a waiting period of as long as 9 months for getting the photograph taken after having submitted the form.
Officials inform that the process has been more strict also for security reasons. In the first round of enrolment, a number of people who do not qualify for enrolment managed to get UID card made. These would have been foreign nationals – from Nepal or Bangladesh - and some with ‘dubious’ credentials. In fact, one such wanted person was arrested here in Sikkim earlier this year after his photo emerged in the UID enrolment.
Officials confirm to as much, stating that it had been discerned that many people ineligible for enrolment under UID had managed to get UID cards in the first round. Apart from creating a security situation it could also lead to confusion at the time of seeking and releasing benefits with the possibility of bonafide beneficiaries losing out to others. So, locals are now being asked for their Sikkim Subjects or Certificates of Identification or some such authoritative document attesting to their residence here; it is not enough just to present such basic documents, but these are now required to be attested by the designated officials as well.
This being the case, people flocking to the DESME office here from all over the state for enrolment have the unpleasant prospect of being returned with directions to get their documents attested at their local administrative office.
Of the ‘non-locals’, only central government employees are being entertained in the UID enrolment process here and even they are being encouraged to have themselves registered in their home states for logistic and practical reasons.
While many had already enrolled for UID cards in the first round last year, a good number of them have not received their UID cards or have received cards with mistakes; in both cases such people have had to enroll afresh and are now finding that it is not as easy and simple as earlier. On the other hand with a waiting period of 9 months for a photo and then another year-long wait till one finally receives a UID card there is bound to be confusion as well as discontent when it comes to acquiring benefits or even for getting an LPG connection which has now been made Aadhar-based as well.