Aadhaar to be identity, address proof for telephone connections

The Unique Identification (UID) number, or Aadhaar, will soon be considered a valid proof of identity and address for getting new connection for mobile or landline phones.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has finalised its proposal to use the UID numbers for issuing new connections and detailed guidelines, including the activation procedure, will be issued shortly.

A senior official from the communications ministry said, “The strength of the UID system will be utilised for telecom growth. As a first step, UID numbers will be used as proof of identity and address.”

In a notice, DoT said Aadhaar would be taken as a valid proof of identity and address after details are confirmed through its authentication procedure.

The letter issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) telling the name, address and the Aadhaar number might be used as a valid proof, the notice said.

The government plans to issue UID numbers to about 600 million people by 2014. The whole project involves an expenditure of about Rs3,023 crore, which includes project components for issuing the numbers by March 2011, and recurring establishment costs for the entire five-year phase, ending March 2014.

The UID number would help in expediting growth in the telecom sector, especially in rural areas, the official said. It will get over various hurdles while issuing a new mobile or landline phone connection, as the UID number can also be verified and authenticated online, thus saving time.

The UID system will also eliminate duplicate and fake identities. If the system is used in the telecom sector, the subscriber verification will no longer be a problem. The government has already asked telecom operators to follow stringent norms for verification of subscribers, especially prepaid mobile users.