Aadhar card to be linked with Mobile numbers: How & Why?

Government has made Aadhar as mandatory documents, required to be presented for all purposes. Recently it was made mandatory for filing income tax returns and also for obtaining permanent account number – PAN card. Now government has made another move to link it with the mobile numbers of all the citizens.

Now, why has government decided to link Aadhar card with mobile numbers. Here are top benefits of transpiring this measure:

1. Reduce fraudulent activities: Fake mobile numbers have increased considerably over the years and there had been lot of crimes reported with such fake numbers so to do away with this, linking of Aadhar card with mobile number will be perfect tool to put an end to fake mobile number crimes. With eKYC procedure every user’s identity will be established and thus it would be easier to catch a person committing malpractices.

2. Curb illegal activity: The biometric details obtained via Aadhar will be recorded and will be used easily in case a person is found out indulging in any illegal activity.

3. Eliminate sustaining frauds: Sustaining frauds can also be eliminated with this implementation. One cannot deny the fact that there are many individuals who own a phone number by using fake ID proofs. With this move, government can identity such people easily and intimate telecom operators to disengage the numbers of such people immediately. This might even reveal numerous frauds that are present amidst us.

4. Help to counter terrorism: Terrorism is one of the biggest concern of the nation and by linking phone numbers, telecom operators can quickly identify them and track their location and disconnect phone numbers to prevent terrorist attacks. Also, it becomes easy to track people who being part of the nation but spread false propagandas using smart phones.

5. Verifying income tax number: IT number can be verified using Aadhar, wherein the OTP number is sent to the mobile number linked with Aadhar.

Here are steps to link Aadhar card with mobile numbers is based on two scenarios:

1. You are linking it for the first time
2. You have changed your phone number and want to update your Aadhar data by replacing old number with new one.

1. Linking your mobile to Aadhar for the first time: This has to be done offline and one has to follow these steps:
a. Visit nearest Aadhar center to get Aadhar update/ Correction form or download it from UIDAI website.
b. Fill out the form correctly, submit it to the concerned person at the centre and mention on the form that only mobile number is to be updated.
c. You have to submit photocopy of your Aadhar card along with identity proof document – PAN card, passport, Voter ID
d. After submission, your biometrics and thumb impression will be verified at the enrolment centre.
e. Acknowledgement slip will be issued and normally it takes 2-3 working days for updating to happen.

2. Updating the mobile number: This can be done online, but the existing number should be linked with Aadhar card as the OTP to authenticate the updating would be sent to your existing number.
a. UDAI website, go to Aadhar self-service portal
b. Enter your Aadhar number and Captcha text and request for OTP
c. OTP will be sent to your existing mobile number and you will be redirected to new page where in you can update desired details
d. Here under “Select field to update”, select “mobile number” and enter the number that you want to record in the database and submit.

By Alankit Group

How to Link Aadhar and PAN card, Last date Extended to 31st December 2017

Good news to all those, who have not yet linked the Aadhar card and Pan card as the government has on 31st August, 2017 extended the deadline by four months i.e. now the last date for linking the country’s most vital identity proof – Aadhar and Pan card is 31st December, 2017.

Government has earlier only made it crystal clear that it is mandatory for all those citizens who file income tax returns to link these two databases. Centre had intimated earlier on 30st August that, the date will be extended by Supreme Court so that the benefits of various social welfare schemes can be availed till 31st December, 2017.

Sec 139AA (2) of Income Tax Act says that every person having PAN as on July 1, 2017 and is eligible to obtain Aadhar card must intimate his Aadhar number to the tax authorities. However certain persons are exempt from the requirement – People who are not citizens of India, those above 80 years of age and residents of Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir had been exempt from the requirement.

Also tax department has made it clear on 31st July that, “unless a finding is made that Aadhar is constitutionally not valid, tax return filers will need to link their PAN with Aadhar by August 31st, 2017.

However, 31st December is deadline for people to link their bank accounts with Aadhar and tax filers were permitted to file their income tax returns by August 5 without linking their Aadhar with PAN. They were just to quote Aadhar or the acknowledgement number for having applied for the ID.

Also the department further state that – tax filers who fail to link Aadhar and PAN on or before 31st August, 2017, their income tax returns will not be processed. Extension of four months for linking Aadhar-PAN is big relief for tax payers by the central government.

There are many tax payers who have filed their income tax return on time, but had failed to link their Aadhar card number with PAN card for some unavoidable reasons or mismatch in the data of two cards, now can link the two by 31st December , 2017. This move comes at a time when a similar extension has been granted for furnishing Aadhar to avail benefits of social welfare schemes.

Also the government has made it clear that linking of Aadhar- PAN is necessary to avoid duplication, which had resulted in tax evasion.

Also the extension has to be read in the backdrop of the fact that Aadhar is facing slew of legal challenges on grounds that it breaches privacy, leaving officials to wonder if the government, can still push ahead with its use in wide range of services.

Centre has made the linking the two numbers mandatory to prevent duplication of PAN cards and curb money laundering and unlawful activities.

Aadhar: ‘Mera Aadhar Meri Pehchaan’

With central government making Aadhar card mandatory for all government and non-government purposes, it has become the unique identification for all Indian citizens. From Identity of common man to unique identification code of all the citizens, Aadhar card has been mandatory for every Indian.

It is unique identification code that carried 12-digit identification number provided by Unique Identification Authority of India as a representative of Indian government. This number acts as evidence of address and identity of people across all parts of India.

India’s largest identification platform has many uses like mobile phone connections, cooking gas connections and banking services. It has many benefits like:

1. Aadhar based direct transfer of benefit: Transfer of LPG subsidy is done only when Aadhar card number is provided to the authority and this amount is directly transferred to the bank account of the customer. Just link the bank account to LPG number and avail direct transfer of the subsidy.

2. Jan Dhan Yojana: The scheme Pradhan Matri Jan Dhan Yojana accepts Aadhar card number as the only document sufficient to open the bank account. One can avail benefits like RuPay card, free zero balance savings account, life and accident insurance etc.

3. Passport in 10 days: If one has Aadhar card, he/she can get passport within just 10 days. Here police verification will be done at the later date as against the previous rule that had police verification done before, thus consuming lot of time. As per new rule if one wants passport, Aadhar number is mandatory.

4. Digital locker: Digital locker system, launched by Government of India that stores all personal documents on government server requires the person to link his/her Aadhar card number.

5. Voter card linking: Aadhar card is linked to voter ID to eliminate bogus voters. Once the Aadhar card number is linked, it would be impossible for an multiple voter ID card holder to make its illegal use, as registration requires voter ID card holder to be physically present and produce Aadhar card to booth officer for linking.

6. Monthly pension: All the pensioners from select states will now have to register their Aadhar card number to their respective department for receiving monthly pension. With this move fraudulent incidents in which fake beneficiaries requesting pension will be done away with.

7. Provident fund: Same as pension, provident fund money will be given to account holder who have registered their Aadhar card number with employee provident fund organization (EPFO)

8. For opening new Bank account: Aadhar letter provided by UIDAI is now acceptable by banks as a valid proof to open new bank account and it serves as address proof and there is no need to produce bunch of documents to banks for opening the account.

9. Digital life certificate: Digital life certificate launched by Department of Electronics and IT by name =- “ Jeevan Praman for Pensioners”; which will end the process where in the pensioner has to be physically present at Pension Agency to avail pension as all the details can be accessed by the agency digitally.

10. SEBI: Securities and Exchange Board of India, now accepts Aadhar card as proof of address for investing in stock market.

It is well known fact that Aadhar card is major step taken to transform India into a digital society. It has changed the way how government services are delivered and will change the way how services of the government are delivered and will prove to be bridge between government and the citizens.

Today it is not only used as identification proof of the citizen of India but also an vital document used by the citizens for various purposes like availing benefits of government services and other vital things.

Aadhar card marks a fundamental shift in citizen state relations from “We the people” to “We the government”. It has immense potential for profiling and surveillance. The card can stimulate development through entrepreneurial activity. It can also help to ensure that the money goes to the people it is meant for. It also empowers women to have direct access to the money they earn. Last but not the least UID could help build compatible health information system and establish nationwide surveillance and diagnosis facilities for service and research on infectious diseases.

Safety Tips for Your PVC Aadhar card

With Aadhar card being privatized, efforts are being made to make it more machine readable in other words making it a medium capable of storing data in format readable by mechanical device. An effort in this direction has made government introduce PVC or Plastic Aadhar Card.

PVC  Aadhar card is printed form of Aadhar information on plastic sheet that serves or has the same value as the copy of original card and is very easy to maintain. It also acts as an identity card for all government and private purposes.

It has very commendable benefits:

Strong, durable and can remain intact over long period of time
Machine readable and bar coding friendly
It is water proof so chances that card gets spoiled is minimal
It is very easy to carry as it can be stored in wallet or pocket
Card security is increased with quality

The Aadhar has become the mandatory document for all the citizens of country and Government of India is building a big ecosystem around your Aadhar card and linking almost every vital transaction with it so it is advisable to keep it safe.

This card was originally printed on standard glossy paper no doubt perfect but the paper is prone to damage and there are chances that it gets torn over time. So PVC card is better option to go for as one can easily carry it in wallets and it can lasts longer than the paper printed one.

Reasons why one should prefer PVC card:

1. Easy to carry and more durable
2. The original paper printed Aadhar card can be kept safe at home and for any authentication purpose PVC card is best to carry
3. In case you have lost your Aadhar card and need a duplicate one
4. It is water proof card.

Here are few safety tips to safeguard your Aadhar card:

1. The Xerox of this card will not be used in most circumstances
2. The card has to be in machine readable condition all the time
3. It should not be folded
4. The Bar codes – ( an optical machine readable data usually describing something about the object that carries the bar code) are sensitive so one should not put any scratch on them or damage them with pen or other instrument
5. Always store the card at room temperature
6. For all round safety just put the card in nice pouch and store the card in it
7. Only when you intent to use it for authentication purpose carry the Aadhar card with you
8. The  QR code could not be read with naked eyes so once the QR code gets damaged the Aadhar card will lose its value
9. And once the Aadhar is lost as of now duplicate cards are not issued

With the above tips you can preserve your important document- PVC Aadhar card safely and in good condition for long period of time.