In today’s digital age, Aadhaar has become an essential part of daily life in India, serving as the backbone for accessing a variety of services, from banking and mobile connections to government welfare schemes. With its unique 12-digit identity number, Aadhaar has transformed the way we authenticate our identity and streamline various processes. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that all new applicants for Aadhaar cards in the state will have to submit their NRC Application Receipt Number (ARN). He said that this would ‘stop the arrival of illegal foreigners’ and the state government would be ‘very strict’ in issuing Aadhaar cards. Sharma said, ‘It will not be easy to get Aadhaar in Assam.’
The number of applications is more than the population
Sharma said in a press conference in Guwahati, ‘The number of applications for Aadhar cards is more than the population… This indicates that there are doubtful citizens and we have decided that new applicants will have to submit their NRC Application Receipt Number (ARN).’
For whom this rule will not apply
He said that submitting the NRC application receipt number will not apply to the 9.55 lakh people whose biometrics were locked during the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process and they will get their cards.
Identification of illegal foreigners will be expedited
Sharma said that his government will ‘expedite the process of identifying illegal foreigners, as in the last two months many Bangladeshis have been caught and handed over to the authorities of the neighbouring country.’
Increase in the Number of Intruders in Assam
Detecting intruders is a crucial responsibility for the Assam Police Border Organization. Recent reports have revealed that the number of intruders in Assam has risen. In response, the government has intensified efforts to curb illegal entry.
According to information from the Assam government, a total of 54 intruders have been apprehended since January 2024. Of these, 48 were caught in Karimganj district, 4 in Bongaigaon district, and one each in Haflong GRP and Dhubri district.