KMC mulls to set up permanent Aadhaar centre in Behala

Kolkata: To check whether a permanent Aadhaar Centre can be set up inside a civic body primary school in the Behala area, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is mulling writing to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Recently, KMC councillor Rupak Ganguly requested Mayor Firhad Hakim to see if a permanent Aadhaar centre can be set up in ward no. 121 inside Iswar Chandra Mitra School. He believes that such a centre will seek to serve a large population in at least three KMC boroughs in the Behala area.

He said that since Aadhaar is now required for almost all important works, including school admission, income tax return file, property purchase, getting enlisted in state government’s beneficiary schemes etcetera, there is an urgent need for setting up more Aadhaar Centres. “Presently, one either has to visit KMC headquarters, post offices or a few selected bank branches where facilities relating to Aadhaar are available,” he said.

Mayor Firhad Hakim said that KMC already has one Aadhaar centre at Roxy building near the civic body headquarters. He said that KMC has no authority to set up any Aadhaar centres unless permission for doing so is given by UIDAI.

“It is UIDAI that gives the nod and provides the link for Aadhaar-related work in such centres,” Hakim said. He said the state government has already written to UIDAI for Aadhaar facilities at Bangla Sahayata Kendras (BSK). “We are not sure whether UIDAI will permit an Aadhaar centre inside a school building. However, KMC will write to the authority concerned to check if such a permanent facility can be set up there,” the Mayor assured.