UP govt plans to link Haj applications with Aadhaar UID verification mandatory for all cell phone users
EYE ON SUBSIDY Move likely to help weed out those who have availed of government subsidy for the pilgrimage more than once
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh plans to link the Haj applications with the Aadhaar numbers of the applicants to usher in transparency in the selection of pilgrims. The entire process is likely to be made online.
These steps are likely to help in identifying those who have availed of government subsidy for the pilgrimage more than once.
“The government wants to bring in greater transparency. It aims to send more economically weaker people on Haj,” minister of state for Haj Mohsin Raza told Hindustan Times on Sunday.
The Centre provides subsidy to Muslim pilgrims for Haj. Every state has its Haj quota.
“UP’s Haj quota at present is 29,000 pilgrims,” Raza said.
He also said, “We understand that sometimes individuals avail of the subsidies more than once. Linking the application with Aadhar number and transferring subsidy to the Aadharlinked bank account will check this. The proposed online application process will bring in greater transparency.”
The government believes that this will ensure that all government-sponsored individuals who go on Haj become genuine beneficiaries of the government scheme. Raza also said he has begun appealing to those pilgrims, who can afford to go on Haj on their own, not to apply for subsidy. The minister seems to have taken the cue from the Modi government’s programme of making the affluent give up subsidy on LPG cylinders in favour of the poor.
“This will help the government send on Haj more and more such people who cannot go on their own,” said Raza.
The minister was in his hometown Safipur, Unnao, on Sunday to attend several programmes.
The BJP did not field any Muslim candidate in the 2017 polls, but Raza was appointed minister.
He is not a member of either house of the state legislature. He has six months to become a lawmaker either by contesting an assembly by-election or being elected an MLC (member of legislative council).
All existing subscribers of mobile services will have to go for Aadhaar-based re-verification soon, with the government instructing telecom operators to initiate the process.
Cellular operators’ body COAI said its members might meet this week to discuss the modalities of rolling out the verification process for the existing one billion-plus cell phone users.
“... all licencees shall re-verify all existing mobile subscribers (pre-paid and postpaid) through Aadhaar-based eKYC process...,” a notification issued by the telecom department said.
It added that all licencees would have to inform existing subscribers through advertisements in print and electronic media as well as SMS about the order of the Supreme Court for re-verification. They have also been asked to upload details on their website.
The Supreme Court, in an order in February this year, had observed that, “an effective process has been evolved to ensure the identity verification, as well as, the addresses of all mobile phone subscribers for the new subscribers. In the near future, and more particularly within one year from today, a similar verification will be completed, in case of existing subscribers”.
The government wants to bring in greater transparency. It aims to send more economically weaker people on Haj