To facilitate the process of linking Aadhaar with bank accounts, the UIDAI had directed public and private sector banks to open ‘Aadhaar Enrolment and Update Centres’ in at least 10 percent of their existing branches. A total of 15,315 bank-centres will be targeted by the Aadhaar-issuing body by the end of October 2017. However, as per a report by the Economic Times, the number of such Aadhaar enrolment centres has reached only 2,305 so far.
Initially the UIDAI had urged the banks to open such centres by the end of August. This deadline was extended to 30th September, and it has again been extended to 31st October.
Among the public sector banks, State Bank has opened Aadhaar enrolment centres in only 356 centres as against the 2,918 target. Out of its 339 stipulated branches, Dena Bank has opened enrolment centres in only 194 of them. Syndicate Bank could reach only 245 out of its 840 target. Punjab National Bank has not opened any centre.
Among the private sector banks, HDFC, Axis Bank and ICICI were given a target of opening enrolment centres in 403, 337 and 485 of their branches, respectively. But so far HDFC has opened only 74 centres, ICICI has done it in 59 branches and Axis Bank has opened only 61 Aadhaar enrolment centres in its branches.
Banks that do not meet their stipulated targets by 31st October will have to pay a penalty of Rs 20,000 for every uncovered branch.
