UIDAI plan spending doubled to Rs 2,620 cr in 2013-14

The authority's revised estimates of Plan expenditure in current fiscal stands at Rs 1,350 cr compared to the budget estimates of Rs 1,758 cr

The Plan spending of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), responsible for issuing Aadhaar numbers to residents, has been almost doubled to Rs 2,620 crore in 2013-14 from the revised estimates in the current fiscal.

The authority's revised estimates of Plan expenditure in the current fiscal stands at Rs 1,350 crore compared to the budget estimates of Rs 1,758 crore.

The actual Plan expenditure of the authority was 1,187.53 crore in 2011-12.

UIDAI project was initially conceived by the Planning Commission as an initiative that would provide identification for each resident across the country and would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery of welfare services.

It would also act as a tool for effective monitoring of various programs and schemes of the government. The Aadhaar number is being used by the states under direct cash transfer scheme where the government aid is directed credited into the bank account of beneficiaries.

The authority has been mandated to enrol 60 crore residents in the country. Besides it would generate Aadhaar numbers for the remaining population of 61 crore and the biometrics data from them would be collected by the Registrar General of India under the National Population Register Project.